The Soul Deal
by wintercandyapple
Summary: In order to save his brother's soul, Gilbert had to seal his away to a demon, forever bound to serve her in secret. As a cruel twist of fate, he learns what he was meant to be, a demon hunter. But when Gilbert enrolls into a demon hunter's academy, he risks his secret and endangers the souls of his new friends against his will. It's the ultimate betrayal, but it's part of the deal.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

* * *

"Gil, don't," Ludwig warned, a bit nervously, as he peered into the dark cave. It was too dark to see more than a few feet in, and so far there was just barren black rock.

"Don't be so chicken, Luddy! I just want to go inside, that's all," Gilbert grinned, looking upon the pitch-dark cave in awe. "This is going to be so cool!"

"We aren't even supposed to be this far into the forest..." Ludwig tried meekly.

"Oh please, there's nothing dangerous even in this forest! Look around. They said there'd be bears and wolves, but I haven't seen anything more dangerous than a squirrel! I haven't even seen any cougars," Gilbert sighed, as if disappointed.

"Our parents strictly said not to go past where the tree get taller than our house. And these trees are huge," his younger brother frowned, looking up to what little sunlight pierced the canopy of the deciduous trees.

Gilbert turned around to give Ludwig a small scowl. "You mean our FOSTER parents! Don't say that they're our actual mom and dad, 'cause they're not. I don't care what they have to say." He faced the cave again, and this time Ludwig didn't say anything. Gilbert knew he had hit a sensitive nerve. Ever since their parents died when they were little-Gilbert was only four and Ludwig three- Gilbert had detested every orphanage and every foster program they were shuttled into. But that was five years ago. By now Gilbert was used to moving from family to family, knowing none of them would ever be what he wanted, no matter how kind they were. He only wanted his true parents, but he knew that was impossible. The current family they were staying with were decent, Gilbert had to admit, but he refused to love them at all. No one could replace his real mom and dad. However, Ludwig liked them enough, and he like where they lived too, so Gilbert refrained from acting out too much, trying to be fair for his younger brother, the only real family he had left.

"C'mon, let's go in!" Gilbert urged, stepping into the dark cave and pulling out a flashlight from his backpack. He glanced back to see Ludwig hesitating. "You aren't afraid, are you? Doncha want to see what's inside?"

"There's going to be nothing inside worth seeing," Ludwig replied, but Gilbert knew that afraid comment had gotten to him.

"Then there's nothing to be scared of," Gilbert smirked. Ludwig sighed, defeated, and followed his brother. "Don't worry, the awesome me will protect you," he added, chuckling.

"Right," Ludwig rolled his eyes. Gilbert shined the flashlight in front of them, but so far there was nothing but more rock, so he started to trudge in deeper. Ludwig followed him reluctantly. The cave went in further than they thought; it almost seemed to be a tunnel of sorts. After about ten minutes, the two were still moving forward, coming across nothing more than stalactites and stalagmites. Gilbert couldn't even find any bats, or even spiders.

"This place seems so...dead," Ludwig shuddered. "We should go back now."

"No, wait, look!" Gilbert said excitedly, taking off running impulsively, leaving his brother behind. When he finally stopped running, he used his flashlight to take a good look around and found himself in a wide chamber that was empty except for something at his feet. Gilbert had taken a step forward and accidentally kicked something that was lying on the ground. He shined his light on it...and froze. Was that...a skull? A human skull?

And suddenly he heard a eerie laugh, definitely feminine. It resounded off the walls of the chamber, so Gilbert didn't know where it was coming from. It seemed to be mocking him, and he was paralyzed with fear. What was this? He looked around frantically with his flashlight, but saw nothing.

"My, my, my, what do we have here?" the woman's voice asked forebodingly. "It's rare that anyone ever comes this far into my lair. Didn't your mommy ever tell you not to go wandering off in this forest?"

"W-who are you?" Gilbert demanded, trying to mask his quaking fear, but failing utterly. Again he searched the chamber, until his light rested on a figure he could have sworn wasn't there seconds earlier. She was a young adult, appearing to be in her early twenties, and for the most part seemed human. But her lips were blood red, her irises pure black, her skin a pale grey, and her legs...Gilbert blinked to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, but sure enough her legs dissolved into wisps of smoke below her thighs, as if she were only floating. Her hair moved in a way that defied gravity, as is she were underwater. When she gave him a menacing smile, she revealed razor sharp canines.

"Me? You come into my lair, and ask who I am? Well, my dear boy," she smirked evilly, "I am the demon Illedris."

"D-demon?" Gilbert whispered, petrified, what little bravado he had leaving him instantly. He had heard myths and stories surrounding demons, terrible monsters that preyed on human souls, but he had always dismissed them as nothing but make-believe. But now, he was certain this lady couldn't be human. This couldn't be real! He had to be dreaming or something! He dropped his flashlight, frightened, his eyes wide, as the she demon drifted closer to him.

That's when Gilbert heard the footsteps entering the chamber. He whirled around, shouting, "Ludwig, don't! Run, get out of here!" But he wasn't quick enough. Illedris caught sight of his younger brother and leered. Using her inhuman power, she disappeared into a puff of smoke in front of Gilbert, and suddenly appeared behind Ludwig, who was staring at his panicking brother in confusion. "No!" Gilbert cried as Illedris's finger lightly touched the top of the blonde's cranium. Ludwig, who never saw what was coming, lurched sideways, his eyes rolling back into his head. And just like that, he lost consciousness, and fell backwards until Illedris caught his limp form.

"D-did you kill him?" Gilbert sputtered, afraid to hear the answer, barely able to breathe.

Illedris snickered, "No, but I will. Mm...his soul looks delectable..." She caressed the side of Ludwig's cheek softly, smacking her lips. "It's been a while since I came across a soul that looks this _good_."

Gilbert didn't know what to do. A she demon was about to devour his little brother's soul! What could he, a nine-year-old kid, do to save him? God, he was so helpless! It was his fault, all his fault. "Don't hurt him!" he cried desperately, on the verge of tears.

"Don't hurt him?" Illedris echoed, smirking at his stupidity, "Dear boy, do you know how excruciating it is to have your soul ripped right out of your body? Well, I don't have a soul, so I wouldn't know of course, but judging from the expressions of absolute agony on my past victims' faces...I would assume that it hurts _a lot_."

"Th-then take my soul instead," Gilbert offered, his voice hollow and crestfallen.

His proposal made Illedris pause, and regard him carefully. "You would sacrifice your own soul for his? You do realize that you need a soul, even after death?"

"And my brother needs his soul, too," Gilbert stated evenly. "So let him go and take mine instead!"

Illedris cocked her head. "You soul isn't the same as his. This one is much more appealing," she smirked, relishing in his alarm and confusion.

"What?! What makes his soul better than mine?" he exclaimed. He came off as jealous, but in all honesty, he only wanted his own soul to be "better" so that Illedris would let Ludwig go. "I'm way awesomer!"

His outburst surprised the she demon, and she blinked, then laughed. "You are a strange mortal, dear boy. Perhaps I will reconsider your offer." She lay Ludwig down on the cold, rock floor of the chamber, and then dissolved into smoke. An instant later she reappeared before Gilbert, circling him as if she were swimming through the air. "I stand corrected," she admitted with a sinister grin, "There _is_ something unique about your soul."

"W-what do you mean?" Gilbert stammered, chills running down his back from being so close to her.

"Hmm...you don't even know what you are, do you?" Illedris chuckled. "Alright...I'll seal your deal."

Gilbert didn't know whether he should feel scared or relieved. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, clenching his jaw. If she was going to eat his soul, he didn't want to see it happen. He hoped it wouldn't hurt as much as she had described it would, but either way he would be reduced to nothing. Illedris was right, a person needs a soul in live and death. He felt the demon's icy finger glide down the side of his cheek and down to the base of his neck. Her finger then moved across his left shoulder, tearing his shirt as she did so. Gilbert's muscles tensed. This was it. She was going to suck out his soul...

Instead, Illedris traced a circle on the bare skin just above his shoulder blade on his back. Instantly, a burning sensation came over Gilbert, as is he were being struck a hot iron brand right where she had traced the circle. "This is our bargain, dear boy, I will leave your brother's soul untouched and in return you will seal your soul in service to me for as long as you live. Speak your name, boy."

Gilbert was still in shock and pain, but it was as if his mouth spoke for him, "Gilbert Beilschmidt."

"Do you accept the deal? For your brother's soul, you will give your life and soul to me, the demon Illedris?" She spoke as if it were a formality, a essential ceremony.

He hesitated for a split second, glanced at Ludwig, who was passed out on the ground, and then nodded, "Yes. I accept." The fiery pain on his back subsided, until it disappeared completely.

"Very well," Illedris smirked. "My dear boy, the sealing is complete. Your life and soul belong to me now."

* * *

Seven Years Later

Gilbert lay still on his bed inside his small bedroom, staring up at the ceiling. It was too dark to actually see anything, since it was already one in the morning, so he waited there, listening carefully. Ludwig usually stayed up pretty late, finishing his homework, him being an excellent student and all. But Gilbert's ears picked up nothing but quiet snores, and he decided that everyone in the house was finally asleep. That's when the circle on his back began to sting a little. It always did that when Illedris wanted to talk to him. Sighing, he got out of bed, silent as a mouse, and easily snuck out the window, like he did every week. His room was on the second story of their house, but he always stuck the landing without breaking a sweat. Yeah, he was that awesome. As soon as his feet hit the ground, the stinging circle on his back faded, but he was already quite used to that small pain that the circle brought every week.

It actually wasn't really just a circle, Gilbert had learned, but it was actually an Ouroboros Mark, or at least that's what Illedris called it. It was one of her favorite symbols, she had said, and so she picked it as the seal that would lock Gilbert's soul forever under her service all those years ago. For the first few years he dreamt of that night in fitful slumber, but now he only ever gave it a fleeting thought. He couldn't change the past, so there was no use dwelling on it. The Ouroboros depicted a snake, well, it was actually a winged snake, biting its own tail, forming a perfect circle. Gilbert had spent months studying it in the mirror, and had even tried to scrub it off once when he was ten, but the Mark punished him with a painful burn, so he never tried again. At first we was afraid others would see it, and that his foster parents would be angry with him for "getting a tattoo," but Illedris assured him that no mundane mortal could see it with the naked eye.

He continued running through the dark streets under the chilly night sky, and didn't stop until he had reached the forest on the very edge of town. Once he was there he slowed his pace to a jog, not having to worry about being caught past curfew by anyone who happened to be out and about this time of night. His red eyes gleamed as he passed through a small patch of moonlight that seeped through the canopy. They always had a tinge of light red in them, since he was naturally albino, but in the past few years they had become a noticeably brighter shade, like rubies, and Gilbert suspected it was because of the deal he had made with the she demon, but he wasn't sure. Whatever was the case, at least he was awesome enough to make red eyes look stunningly attractive.

As he got deeper into the forest, his thoughts absently wandered to his younger brother. Of course, Ludwig knew nothing about his long nights out, or about the Ouroboros Mark, or about the whole soul-deal in general. When they had returned home that night seven years ago, Gilbert had told him that in the cave he had tripped on a rock and was knocked out cold, and so Gilbert dragged him all the way home. The dragging part wasn't a lie, but the tripping part, well it was a stretch. But at least Ludwig believed it, if somewhat reluctantly. The important part was that he still had a soul. A soul that truly belong to him.

In the back of his mind he wondered what Ludwig would say to him if he ever found out about his deal with the demon. No doubt he would be pissed and call him some unflattering names. Then he would probably call Gilbert out for such stupidity, making bargains with monsters, but after that...Gilbert didn't know how else Ludwig would react once that information sank it. Would he be sad for Gilbert, whose soul was no longer his? Still angry with him? Or...what Gilbert feared the most, would he be ashamed and disgusted with him for working with a terrible she demon? No matter how he reacted, Gilbert knew the whole mess was his fault; he was the one who insisted over and over again to venture inside the cave. And now he had to pay the price, for the rest of his life.

Finally, just as his thoughts were getting very grim, he reached the entrance of Illedris's lair, the cave where it all began. He proceeded to jog inside casually, as if he went into a demon's nests on a weekly basis...because he did. When he reached the empty chamber, he called, "Hey! I'm here!"

Smoke rose from one of the stalagmites on the ground and began to take the form of a woman, and when the smoke finally shaped her eyes, she rolled them. "Most mortals would greet demons in a much more...frightened manner. Aren't you afraid I may retaliate one of these days?"

"Afraid? Nah, I got over that after about two years with you," Gilbert grinned, leaning back on the rock wall of the chamber and folding his arms over his chest.

"Most mortals would be scared out of their wits for at least ten years," Illedris shrugged.

"As you can see, I'm not most mortals," he repudiated, chuckling to himself.

"And most mortals wouldn't have taken their sweet time getting to their demon's lair," Illedris continued, as if she didn't hear him.

"It's not like we're in a rush or anything," Gilbert said, "I mean, I'm not a little kid who needs to be trained five hours a night anymore."

Illedris sighed, as if he were a hopeless case. "And most mortals would have needed many, many more years to master the skills I already taught you," she forced herself to admit.

"I guess that proves how awesome I am," he laughed softly. It wasn't every night he received a compliment from his "teacher."

"I suppose I chose well, making that deal with you," she speculated, "I was afraid in the beginning that you would die in the training processes, but you lived." Gilbert had to make a conscious effort not to grimace when she said that; he remembered the first few years under her wing, and they had been painstakingly hard. At night she would drill him, almost mercilessly, but she gave him the skills he needed to become the excellent fighter he was today. "Not many people could have survived all of that," she remarked, as if reading his thoughts, "but you have a strong soul, even for someone like you."

Someone like you. Gilbert knew what that meant, and he also knew that Illedris didn't like the name spoken out loud. She had told him once, what his true nature was, but only because she knew he could not hurt her under their deal. Demon hunter.

Initially, he was shocked when she first told him, and he couldn't believe it for a long while, but after surviving Illedris's training, and mastering her techniques, he realized there was no way he was an ordinary human. Especially after she taught him his most amazing, and most powerful, ability.

"Funny, isn't it?" Gilbert said indifferently, "that you made a deal with, with someone like me. I guess you knew though, when you took a closer look at my soul." Apparently demon hunters had souls that differed from mundane mortal souls, and demons could see the variations.

"I didn't realize it at first, since you were so little, but yes, when I inspected your soul I knew," Illedris said, "And I thought having you serve me might not be such a bad a idea. Perhaps better than devouring your soul. So I put that Mark on your skin to bind you to me."

"Right." Gilbert said, none-too-lightly. Sometime Illedris like to rub his fatal mistake in his face, and he really didn't want to put with that right now. "So why did you call me here again?"

"Just a small job for you tonight," Illedris told him, "There's a demon who's just entered my territory. It might eat some of the souls I've been saving for a while. I'd like you to get rid of it. Go be...what you really are."

"Alright, that's it? What kind of demon am I working with here?" he asked as he straightened up and headed toward the opening of the chamber.

"It takes the form of an animal. Probably a vicious animal. But that's all I can tell you," she said, fading into translucent smoke as she did so, since their meeting was coming to a close. "By the way," she added, her voice echoing though she was no longer visibly present, "You should try that new weapon I told you to work on last week. You did practice, I assume?"

"No better way to test a weapon than on the real deal," Gilbert said, avoiding her question. He could imagine her rolling her eyes and giving him an exasperated look of disapproval. That was fine. If she was going to keep him bound to her forever, then he wasn't going to go out of his way to be a good, cooperative, obedient servant.

* * *

Gilbert walked through the forest at an ample pace until he finally found the place he was looking for, the open clearing. There were no trees for a good one hundred feet radius, nothing but grassy and some flowers waving in the breeze under the moon. Perfect. Fighting a demon here he had a much bigger advantage than in dense forest, since the demon could probably use the trees to climb or to hide. Now he just had to lure the beast right to him.

He cleared his thoughts and closed his eyes. This particular technique he had only just mastered, but it was still a bit difficult to do on the first try. He imagined he was looking deep inside himself, not inside his body, but more like his spirit, if that makes any sense. At first he saw only darkness, until finally he saw it, a glowing orb hovering in the nothingness. His soul was just a sphere of radiant white light, but it was one of the most important thing he had, second to Ludwig of course. Normally souls were pure spherical entities, but Gilbert's wasn't, at least not anymore. On his soul there was a small smudge of black, marring the beauty of the sun-like orb. Seven years ago that distortion wasn't there, sitting on his soul like a leech, but that was the consequence he'd have to endure for the rest of his life...and even after...

Illedris taught him everything he needed to know to be an amazing fighter, and a great demon hunter. She usually made him run errands like destroying other demons in her territory, but so far, that was really all there was to it. But Gilbert suspected that she had bigger plans in mind for him, though he never asked for fear of the answer. So many years learning how to fight had really changed him over time, and he often wondered if Ludwig had any suspicions or noticed he was different. Gilbert had always been a little arrogant, but now that he was an awesome fighter, he felt like he could do anything he wanted, except for break the deal, of course. Normally Ludwig just dismissed his brother's cockiness, but he never got tired of him, not really. Sure he would become annoyed almost every day, but they were still close, as close as brothers could be when one of them held such a secret.

One of the very first lessons Illedris had taught him was how demon hunters utilize the power of their unique souls. She had said that a soul was like pure energy, and special mortals had the skill to draw upon that energy and use it to defend themselves and hunt demons, it made them exponentially stronger than the ordinary mundane. And that wasn't all, he learned, but even more exceptional demon hunters developed remarkable abilities that were rare among their already small population. Gilbert was one of them. That's one of the reasons Illedris was ready to give him the Ouroboros Mark.

"Normal" hunters had the ability to see demons, and were capable of holding out against them, or at least the weaker ones. But Gilbert had the power to summon his soul's energy into the palms of his hands, a skill that took years to perfect. Once he was able to call upon his own energy to his hands, he could manifest it into a tangible, solid weapon. At first his inventory was limited; he could only manage to create a small knife, but after years of training, the variety of weapons he could manifest grew. It was pretty awesome.

But before he could try the new weapon Illedris suggested, he had to get the demon to come to him first. So as he closed his eyes, he dropped all his defenses and made his soul its most vulnerable, making its presence more noticeable. There was no way a beast could resist his soul, sitting in the middle of a clearing, all alone. Now he just had to wait.

He didn't have to wait very long. About ten minutes later, he heard the rustling of trees and the snapping of twigs and branches. Opening his eyes again, he smirked as he readied himself for the attack. It was still extremely dark out, but he could sense the demon's presence as if it were second nature to him. And suddenly, the monster came leaping out of the forest in front of him, snarling as it pounced. Gilbert sidestepped at the last moment, the beast's razor sharp fangs missing him only by inches. The demon landed lightly on its paws, whirling around with a hiss. Gilbert grinned, holding out his hand as a bronze shaft began to form in his grasp. The shaft elongated until it was about his own height, and from one of its ends grew a broad curved blade, completing the creation of the axe.

As the beast circled him, like a predator would its prey, Gilbert chuckled as he heaved his axe, resting it on his shoulder. "A feline demon, huh? Kesesese, this is going to be fun." The cougar demon flicked its tail angrily, barring its fangs. Then it launched itself at him, aiming to sink its teeth into his skull, and then consume his soul. Gilbert stopped its canines from piercing him by blocking with his axe. The cougar tried to bite through the bronze shaft in its mouth instead, but Gilbert's weaponry was too strong for that. Using the monster's momentum against it, Gilbert pivoted on his feet and hurled the beast across the clearing. The feline managed to stick the landing and quickly came back at him. Thinking quickly, Gilbert rolled out of the way and then got to his feet in one swift motion. He swung his axe at the demon, but its reflexes were fast. Gilbert frowned. He didn't really like the axe. It wasn't really his style.

The cougar began to circle him again, and so Gilbert let go of his weapon, and the axe disintegrated into a dust-like substance. Seeing him defenseless, the cougar tensed and was about to leap once more, when a voice called through the forest, "I think it went this way!" The sudden interruption of the silent night startled both the demon and Gilbert, but he didn't waste the moment of distraction. Ignoring the voice, Gilbert quickly summoned a double-edge sword into his hand, as the demon reverted its attention on the demon hunter.

Then many things happened at once. Just as the feline pounced once more, Gilbert heard footsteps breaking through the forest and enter the clearing. Damn, mortals weren't supposed to be out this deep in the forest! He had to end this before one of them got hurt, or their souls eaten. While the cougar was still in midair, descending down upon, Gilbert ducked just before the claws reached him, then, as the feline was above him, he quickly jabbed upwards, his blade slicing through the demon's pelt. The cougar fell to the ground, struggling to get up, but then it toppled on its side, melting into that dust-like substance.

Gilbert turned towards the mortals, there were two of them, and hoped he could come up with some story that could explain a giant, melting cat. The two mortals just stood there, gaping at him with their mouths hanging open. One of them had dark hair tied into a ponytail that fell over his shoulder, wearing a red mandarin jacket. The other had sandy-blonde hair, glasses over his bright blue eyes and wore a brown bomber jacket. Gilbert was surprised he could make out that much in the dark.

"You...you just...with your axe...then it was a sword..." sputtered the one with the ponytail.

"Dude! That's so cool!" the one with the bomber jacket exclaimed elatedly. "I didn't know there was another demon hunter living around here!"

"Wait, you know what I am?" Gilbert raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Of course, dude! Yao and I are demon hunters too," he continued, as if it were strikingly obvious, "We were tracking that demon, but suddenly it switched courses and came here to this clearing instead."

"Really?" Gilbert blinked. He had known others like him existed of course, but he never imagined he'd meet another one.

The one with the ponytail, Yao, nodded. "Yes. We were on an assignment to kill that one, but I guess you did the job for us, aru. Thank you."

"Assignment?" Gilbert wondered what he meant by that. Did they seal their soul to a master too?

"Yeah," the other one grinned cheerfully, "For the Academy. Do you mind if we take your credit? 'Cause I really need a good grade on this one, or I'll have to pick up another assignment...and it'll probably be harder."

Grade? Academy? Now Gilbert's mind was reeling. Illedris had never mention anything about an academy. Yao seemed to read the confused look on his face. "You've never heard of the Venator Academy, have you?"

"No, never heard of it," Gilbert frowned, wondering why Illedris would have kept this from him.

"It's a secret school for people like us," Yao explained, "We take lessons to develop our skills with masters and other students. And as tests we receive assignments to prove our improvements and our fighting abilities."

"Yeah, and there are multiple classes that kinda serve as ranks, if you know what I mean. Depending on how good you are and what kind of skills you have, you get placed in the rank that fits you," the one with the glasses added. "Class A is the highest, and the lowest is Class D, but Class D is for mundanes that know our secret."

"Alfred and I are in Class A," Yao said matter-of-factly. "And honestly, with a power like that, I think you'd be in there too."

"Dude!" Alfred said suddenly, as if he had a great idea, "You should come to the Academy with us! We could use someone like you!"

Yao nodded in agreement, "I assume you're the only one around here, but if you want to, you could come back with us and we could convince the headmaster to let you test your way in. There's more like us, a lot more. You wouldn't be alone. And it's got the best education that can be offered to a hunter, aru."

For a moment, Gilbert seriously considered, but he thought about the Ouroboros Mark. Illedris wouldn't let him leave. "It sounds great and all," he sighed, "But I can't."

"Why not?" Alfred inquired.

"I, um, have a younger brother who's mundane. I can't leave him behind," Gilbert said, which was partly true.

"He can enroll, too," Yao waved off, "He'd just be put in Class D."

"He doesn't know about...me being a demon hunter."

"Venator Academy also had mundanes like that. Since the Academy is secret, we need normal students to attend as well. The demon hunters get their own building separate from the mundane part of the school." Yao studied Gilbert's face, reading his indecision. "If you need time to think about it, we won't be heading back until tomorrow at noon. You can find us at the inn at the town square, if you make up your mind."

"I...thanks, I'll think about it," Gilbert said finally. Without hesitating another moment, he turned on his heels and walked out of the clearing and into the dense forest, heading towards Illedris's cave. His thoughts were swimming inside his head, new possibilities coming to mind. He wouldn't have to keep his nature to himself anymore! He could actually talk to other demon hunters. He could go to school with people like him and show off his skills in public!

But then those hopeful thoughts faded into doubtful ones. Illedris...what would she think of it all? But what was even more troubling, would the Academy even want a student like him? Of course he would keep his soul deal a secret, but still. It was a school for those who hunted demons_,_ and Gilbert was forever bound to serve one.

* * *

From the Author: So this is another idea I came up with for my next story, I'm not really sure what to think of it. Since my other main project right now, Destructive Desires, is coming to an end soon, I thought I try this idea and see what happens. For this story, I wanted to do something supernatural and only focus on the canon characters. I absolutely love Prussia as a character, and I loved playing with the two extremes of his personality in Double Vision, so I decided to make him the main character!

Anyway, thanks for taking time out of your life to read my little story. I'd love to hear what you think, and I'd be lying if I said reviews didn't motivate me to keep writing ;) So please review!

Thanks again~


	2. Chapter 2

The Soul Deal Ch. 2

"The Venator Academy? _You_ got a offer to go _there_?" Illedris cocked her head to the side.

"Well, why wouldn't I get an offer? I'm so awesome, they were practically begging me to come," Gilbert halfsmiled as he practiced swinging his axe once more in the middle of the chamber. The weapon itself wasn't very nimble or swift, but it was more of a hefty weapon, one that required a stronger arm than his to be more effective.

Illedris laid back, still floating in the air, as if she were lying on a bed or something, her finger tapping her chin in deep thought. "That's certainly a turn of events..." she murmured. "Academy..."

"You know that the Academy is pretty far from your territory here, right? It's at least a week's journey from here," Gilbert pointed out, running his hand along the bronze shaft of the axe.

Illedris chuckled, "Don't tell me you forgot that I'm a demon, and a powerful one at that. I could easily leave my territory and linger around the Academy's campus in a matter of seconds. It's almost like being in two places at once. Of course, I can't go in the school itself."

"Right, they'd kill you on the spot," Gilbert muttered, resting against one of the stalagmites. He dropped his axe, which disintegrated before it hit the ground.

Illedris shot him an annoyed glare. "As I was saying," she went on, "I can't get in, but you can. I think you should accept the offer."

Gilbert straightened up, surprised. "Really? You think so?" This was unexpected, that's for sure.

"Actually, I don't think so. I'll make it an order," she said as a grin grew on her lips. The Ouroboros Mark on his back felt hot for an instant, but it didn't hurt.

"You want me to go that bad?"

Illedris nodded, placing one hand on her hip. "And when you do go, you are forbidden to reveal any connection to me to anyone you meet there. That's also an order."

"Because I'd totally go to a demon hunters' school and announce that I'm working for a demon," Gilbert said, voice dripping with sarcasm, ignoring the heat from his Mark.

"Just making sure. You can be quite dense sometimes," Illedris shrugged. Before Gilbert could refute that last comment, she added, "So you'd better go find those other...people like you before they leave. But make sure they don't stay here very long. I doubt they're skilled enough to, but if they sense me in the area, then you'll have to fight them and then there goes your offer."

"Right, fine," Gilbert sighed. So much for getting a decent amount of sleep tonight. He hated having bags under his eyes. So un-awesome.

* * *

Sneaking through town at about three-thirty in the morning wasn't too hard. No one was up at this time yet, and he knew exactly where the inn was, so it was just a matter of finding out which room those two demon hunters were occupying. The inn was still open, even at this hour, but there was no one at the reception desk. The check-in sheet was still lying on the desk, so all Gilbert had to do was look until he found the name "Yao Wang." That was his name, right? Yao? Deciding it was, he skulked up the stairs to the third floor until he reached the room indicated by the sheet. Alfred's room was supposed to be the one adjacent, but he figured Yao was the more sensible one to talk to. He wondered whether he should knock, or just pick the lock. But if he chose to do the latter, they might come to the conclusion that he was good at breaking in and stealing or something. Which wasn't wrong, to say the least, but it would leave a bad impression.

Very lightly, he knocked on the wooden door thrice, then waited patiently, hoping that was enough to wake them. After a few minutes, he began to debate about picking the lock, when the door creaked open, and Yao's head peeked out. His hair was down and he'd definitely just woken up, still a little groggy. But when he recognized who was at the door, he perked up, opening the door wider to let Gilbert in. He stepped in, trying his best to give a pleasant smile. Illedris had given him a command to get into the school, so he couldn't blow it this time.

"So have you thought about enrolling? Made up your mind?" Yao inquired, fixing his sleeping robe so he didn't look to muddled after having his sleep interrupted. Gilbert was surprised that he wasn't at all cranky, but then again, Yao seemed like someone who had a lot of patience.

"Yeah, I'm in," Gilbert nodded, "But, um, about my brother...you sure he can handle it there? And he won't find out the truth about...us?" On the way here, Gilbert considered going to the academy by himself, but he really didn't want to leave Ludwig behind. He's miss the blonde too much (though he'd never admit it) and without Gilbert in town, there could be another stray demon ready to eat his soul. The odds of that actually happening weren't very likely, since this was Illedris's territory, but hey, it happened tonight. He also remembered what Illedris had said all those years ago, about Ludwig's soul being more appealing than most, and shuddered to think that all demons shared a taste for his kind of soul.

"The Academy dorms are home to at least two hundred mundane mortals who don't have the slightest clue about demons at all," Yao reassured confidently. "I could even convince him to come with us, and I could persuade your parents to let you enroll as well, if you'd like."

"You won't have to do too much persuading," Gilbert gave a small smile, "We live with our foster parents, so they probably wouldn't care where we went. They'd probably even be relieved to see us go."

At this, Yao frowned, genuinely concerned at the carelessness Gilbert described his foster parents as being. But he quickly recomposed himself, "Alright. Alfred and I will come by your house tomorrow morning, I'll just need directions to your house and..." he paused, realizing something, "And I need your name. I guess I forgot to ask for it earlier, aru."

"Gilbert Beilschimdt, at your service," he introduced, shaking Yao's hand, but in the back of his mind, he thought, what an ironic thing for me to say. He couldn't be at Yao's service. Because he could only be at certain someone's service. That was the deal, after all.

* * *

The next day passed by so fast, it was all a blur to Gilbert. Yao and Alfred had shown up at his house, as promised, and with some clever words on Yao's part, his foster parents were easily swayed to let Ludwig and Gilbert attend the Academy. What really shocked them, Yao said that both of their foster kids would receive full scholarships to a top-notch school. It was almost like getting into a great private high school for free, minus the uniforms and plus all the secrets the Academy had to offer. The only catch was, Yao had told them, was that they had to leave for the Venator Academy that very evening. That was also surprising, but their foster parents could resist such an amazing offer, especially when _Gilbert_ of all people had received a full scholarship!

That left only about an hour to pack their belongings and say their goodbyes. Gilbert quickly shoved his clothes and his toothbrush into his suitcase, then looked around his room to realize those were really the only thing he owned for himself, or needed for that matter. He was done and ready to go way before his brother, who, when he finally came down to the front door with his luggage, still had a mystified expression on his face, still in disbelief about leaving for a new Academy so soon. As for the goodbyes, their foster parents were a bit teary eyed, and Gilbert couldn't tell whether that was real or not, but he didn't have any other friends to say goodbye to. Ever since he received the Ouroboros Mark, he remained distant and aloof around people, and not to mention that anyone his age around here always found him obnoxious, but Gilbert always knew that they were just jealous of his awesomeness. Ludwig wasn't exactly a social butterfly either, so their departure was rather quick.

"How long will it take to get there?" Gilbert asked once the four had reached the train station.

"Only about a full day, so 24 hours," Yao said casually, leading them to the designated train cabin.

"That's it?" Gilbert furrowed his brow. He thought for sure it would have taken a week. Not even the train was that fast.

Ludwig looked down at the map he had taken with him, also confused. "That's impossible."

"Oh, we won't be riding this train the whole way, dude," Alfred chuckled, "Only part of the way. Then we get on the subway!"

"Subway?" Gilbert had never ridden one of those before. He had heard about them, but never seen one.

Alfred was about to answer, when the train whistled, signaling it was about to leave the station. The four took their seats in the somewhat crowded cabin, placing their luggage on the overhead compartments. The train lurched forward, then began to roll more smoothly on the tracks. Gilbert smiled to himself. He rarely ever left home, but now he was heading to a whole new place, perhaps a new home. But what excited him the most was getting far, far away from that stupid cave. Once he was out of Illedris territory, she would have less control over his day-to-day life, though with the Ouroboros Mark she would always be able to reach him. He wondered how often she would check up on him, poof right over to the edge of the campus like she had said. But he dismissed those thoughts. He'd deal with that later.

For the first hour, Yao and Alfred were describing the campus life, as a mundane would have seen it, since Ludwig was also riding with them. "We have all kinds of classes you can take," Yao told Ludwig, "You're a straight A student, right? Of course you are, that's how you got the scholarship." Gilbert smirked at that last part. The only reason Ludwig got the scholarship was because of him. "And the dorms are nice and roomy," Yao continued, "And the people there are very cooperative too...well, at least for the most part." And he went on about how great the Academy would be, Alfred butting in once in a while to make a remark or two, usually about the food.

About two hours later, Ludwig got up to go use the restroom. As soon as he was gone, Gilbert leaned forward, taking his chance. "So, about what you said earlier, about the Class rankings, you two are in the highest one, right?"

"Yep," Alfred nodded.

"And you think I'd make it?"

"I don't want to get your hopes up," Yao shrugged, "But yes, I think you would. You soul projection is remarkable for someone who's been on their own this whole time."

"Soul projection?" Gilbert tilted his head to the side. His ruby eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"Using your soul energy in direct combat," Alfred explained, "Like you do with your weapons. I can use soul projection too, but I can't form specific weapons. That would be so cool! I think you'll definitely make Class A. Or at the very least Class B. "

"How do they decide?"

"They give you a test," Yao said, "But not a written test, a test of physical and soul skill."

"You have to fight somebody," Alfred stated cheerfully.

"Fight somebody? Like another demon hunter?" Gilbert had never fought someone like him before, only demons, really. But how hard could it be? Demons were much more ferocious than mortals, even if they were hunters, right?

"Yes. Here's how it works. You get to pick what Class you think you can make it in, and the overseer selects a hunter from that Class that you have to duel. You could be fighting one of us, in fact, if you choose Class A," Yao informed him. "Depending on how you do, they place you in the Class that fits you."

"Doesn't sound too hard. I'll definitely pick Class A," Gilbert grinned, trying to imagine showing off his awesome powers.

"Just hope that the overseer goes easy on you," Alfred laughed, "There are some hunters from Class A you don't want to mess with."

"Like who?"

"Like me," Alfred winked, letting Gilbert know he was only joking, but then he listed off names seriously, "Well, there's Arthur, he's pretty strong. Kiku's fast, and hard to land a hit on. Kim's a really good tactician, so she won't go down easily. Natalya, well, she's doesn't hold back, ever. And then there's her big brother...Ivan."

Yao shivered slightly. "If they chose Ivan for you, then they obviously don't like you. But I doubt they will, that's too harsh."

"What's up with him?" Gilbert questioned, sincerely interested. "What makes Ivan so special?"

"First off, he's insanely strong for a mortal, almost ten times stronger than your average demon hunter," Yao said matter-of-factly, "And he's also got a unique ability when it comes to soul skills. Everyone in Class A has a special power, but Ivan's practically tops them all, except for maybe Yong Soo's. Ivan can influence souls that come within a certain range, and by doing so, he can bend a person's will, making them do whatever he wants them to. It's a scary feeling." Yao shuddered, and Gilbert guessed that at one point, Ivan had used it on him.

"So he can make just about anyone with a soul become his puppet?" Gilbert blinked. He had to admit, that was pretty impressive.

"Most people, when they're in his range, but not everyone," Alfred grinned, "It doesn't work on my soul."

"Why not?"

"No one really knows," Alfred shrugged, "A lot of soul skills don't affect me. We're still trying to figure out why."

"Ivan can't influence Yong Soo either," Yao reminded Alfred, trying to make him stop gloating over himself. "But that's Yong Soo's ability. The outer layer of his soul acts like a impenetrable shell, so nothing can get through to it. He's also in Class A."

"So who do you think they'll have me fight?" Gilbert asked as innocently as possible. No harm in gather information to be prepared.

"Yong Soo's one likely candidate," Yao said thoughtfully.

"There's also Francis or Antonio," Alfred added, "And actually, I wouldn't be surprised if you fought Yao for your test. Or me, now that I think about it."

Gilbert was about to ask about the two new names, but then Ludwig returned, and so he shut up. Soon enough, the train reached their destination, and the four hopped out, Yao saying, "Alright, now we just have to get to the subway station before it leaves without us...in ten minutes." It was hardly enough time to weave their way through the streets of the city and find the entrance to the underground station. They arrived with one minute to spare, but this particular station was empty. Not a single other passenger in sight. "You sure we didn't miss it?" Gilbert frowned. "Because that would suck."

"No, we're just the only ones going to the Venator Academy today," Yao waved off just before the subway train rolled in.

"The Academy has its own subway train?" Ludwig blinked in disbelief.

"In this city and a couple of others," Alfred said nonchalantly, as if it were normal. "Going underground and straight to the Academy is what saves us so much time. Plus our school has the money to afford one of the fastest subway bullet trains in the world."

Yao dropped his voice so only Gilbert could hear, "We have our own subway for maximum security. We don't want any demons traveling inside." The four stepped onto the subway train when the doors slid open, and the whole car was vacant except for the two seats at the back. A guy with long wavy blonde locks and a bit of stubble was laughing with another guy with messy brown hair, green eyes and lightly tanned skin. Apparently the joke was really funny, because they didn't notice the four enter until they sat down in the seats in front of them. Gilbert and Alfred sat directly in front of the two, and Ludwig and Yao sat in front of them. Yao probably made sure he was sitting next to Ludwig so he could distract him with more talk of the school's campus. The seats were situated so that Alfred and Gilbert faced the two, while Yao and Ludwig's seats were back to back to theirs.

"Hola, Alfred," one of the two guys, the one with brown hair, greeted merrily.

"Hey Antonio, this is Gilbert. Gilbert, this is Antonio and Francis, two others in Class A," Alfred introduced.

"Nice to meet you," Antonio shook his hand with a warm smile.

"Bonjour, are you trying out for a Class?" Francis asked curiously.

"Yeah, and I'm going for Class A," Gilbert grinned, flashing his pearly whites.

"Well, good luck," Francis smirked, thinking that he was a bit overconfident. "Not just anybody can pass the test."

"So," Antonio started, changing the subject suddenly and turning to Alfred, "Did you and Yao just complete your assignment? Or did you just go to recruit?"

"Oh, about that! We were tracking the dem-" Alfred was cut off when Gilbert yanked his ear out of nowhere.

"What was that for?" Francis raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"Oh right," Alfred said, remembering, "There's a..Class M on board."

"M?" Gilbert echoed. They never said anything about an M class.

"Mundane," Antonio whispered helpfully. "So the blonde isn't one of us?"

Gilbert shook his head, then glanced over at Ludwig. He was busy listening to Yao go on about the sports the Academy offer. Yao must've caught was Alfred about to say, because he started talking louder, to drown them out. "He's my brother. But he doesn't know anything."

"You say 'brother' weird," Alfred commented, "You say it like 'bruder' or something." Gilbert gave him a funny look.

"Don't make fun of people accents," Francis sighed, "Everyone else you're sitting with has one!"

"No, I think they're cool, dude!"

"Anyway," Gilbert said, returning to the subject at hand, leaning forward and talking in a low voice, "Anything I should know about the Academy?"

Francis thought about this for a moment, then said in a dreamy voice, "The girls are hot. And some of them really know how to have a good time at night, even the mundanes." He winked, and Antonio just nodded along with him, not sure what else to say to add to that.

Gilbert blinked, caught off guard, expecting a different answer pertaining to demon hunting. Then he cracked up. "So you're one of those kind of guys," he grinned, "I like the way you think. Students in the dorms next door never get pissed off at you? What about your roommate?"

"I never do it in my own dorm," Francis chuckled. "I know all the hiding spots on the campus."

"All of them, huh? Kesesese, I think you're my kind of guy, and I just might need you to show me a couple of those spots."

"Make it to Class A, and I'll show you some," Francis halfsmiled. So far, Gilbert had taken a liking to these two; they were easy-going, laid-back and weren't afraid to ditch the rule book. They had a lot in common, and Gilbert decided he wouldn't mind hanging out with them. Once he made it to Class A and showed them how awesome he was, then they'd become fast friends. Gilbert wanted to ask talk to them more about Class A, but Yao had run out of things to talk about with Ludwig, so the six conversed lightly about "normal" stuff until Gilbert gradually drifted off to sleep. He hadn't gotten much sleep last night after returning from the inn, and all this serious thinking about this drastic change in his life and the anticipation for the future to come made him exhausted.

What seemed to be only a few minutes later, but was actually good amount of hours, he awoke to Alfred shaking his shoulders. "Wake up already, dude! We're here!"

* * *

The subway train really did lead straight into the heart of the Venator Academy, and as it turns out, it was the only convenient way to enter the campus. The entire school was built in the middle of a small valley, surrounded by woods on all sides, and so the only other way to reach it was to take the road that snaked through the trees for a good three hours from the nearest town by car. Of course, Gilbert knew why the academy had to be so far from civilization, since training its demon hunter students probably required many acres of hidden grounds.

The view, Gilbert had to give it some credit, was breath-taking. Green hills rose up in the distance, and the trees were lush and verdant, the air fresh and clean. But that was just the background of the academy. What was really impressive was the magnificent architecture of the buildings that rose up from the ground, cobblestone pathways connecting the whole school together as if it were one big, bustling system. The layout and structure of the Venator Academy seemed to be a mixture of Gothic and Roman architecture that complemented each other well, with stately, extravagant entrances to each individual building.

And yet, there was something even more that made this place even more welcoming. It was around early evening, so school was out for the day, high school students ambling along the paved walkways or hanging with their friends around the gorgeous campus. The entire place just seemed so...alive and vibrant. And it made Gilbert so excited to finally be able open up and attend school like a normal person, or should he say, a semi-normal person at the least. He wondered how many of his peers passing by were actually demon hunters in disguise among the mundane mortals. He couldn't wait to train with other hunters like him, rather than his cold-hearted mistress. It was going to be so much fun! This was so awesome!

"Alfred, why don't you take their luggage and send it to their dorms already?" Yao asked, but it sounded more like a command.

"Aww, do I have to?"

"Yes. If you hurry you can still make it to the Class A building in time to watch..." Yao stipulated with incentive. Apparently, Alfred thought that was a good idea and easily carried their suitcases away, disappearing around one of the nearby buildings. In time to watch what? Gilbert didn't know, but he had a feeling he was going to find out.

Francis and Antonio had to part with them for now, needing to report their assignment to the Class A instructor, so Yao led Ludwig and Gilbert into the main office. Just stepping inside made Gilbert feel like he had taken a trip back in time or something, to an ancient civilization, except for the building was anything but worn-out looking, more like it was just erected yesterday, at its tip-top shape. There were couches and coffee tables laid out in what appeared to be an elegant lobby, and Yao told them to take a seat. "I have to talk to the headmaster about a...private matter," Yao said vaguely, making Ludwig furrow his brow, but Yao was looking at Gilbert instead.

"Okay, I guess," Gilbert shrugged indifferently and plopped down on one of the plush cushions of the mahogany sofa.

Yao nodded gratefully, then hurried off into one of the hallways to their left, and so Ludwig reluctantly took a seat as well. Gilbert stared up at the high ceiling, from which a lavish, glass chandelier hung above, its illumination casting a glow that made the lobby seem, well, mysterious.

"I still can't believe we're here," Ludwig murmured, shaking his head. "It all happened so fast."

Gilbert wasn't surprised at his brother's bewilderment. He, as a demon hunter, had seen a lot of crazy things these past seven years, but Ludwig had only known a mundane, routine life, which Gilbert had made sure remained extremely ordinary. But now both of their lives had changed so suddenly, Ludwig receiving practically no warning. The younger brother had always been a by-the-book kind of person, so he sometimes had a hard time adapting, but Gilbert also knew he perfectly capable of handling himself, and he would get used to it eventually. "Don't tell me you don't think this place is awesome! I think I'm going to love it here," Gilbert grinned with genuine enthusiasm. "Lighten up, Luddy, it's going to be great!"

"If you say so," he replied, his gaze taking everything in from the chandelier to the polished tiles and soft carpets on the floor. Gilbert let his mind return to thoughts and anticipations pertaining to Class A and such, and a few minutes later, Yao returned, holding two pieces of paper in his hands. He handed one to Ludwig as he stood up.

"That's your schedule. You start school tomorrow, aru," Yao said sanguinely, "I know that's really soon, but someone's been called in to give you a tour and show you to all your classes really quick this evening, so you don't have to worry about getting lost tomorrow." Then he turned to Gilbert, but withheld the second piece of paper. "Not yet," he answered when Gilbert frowned in confusion. "You still need to take your...placement test."

"Placement test?" Ludwig repeated, also blinking in puzzlement.

"It's part of the scholarship Gilbert received. His isn't academic like yours is, so he needs to take a short test first," Yao lied smoothly, and Gilbert remembered what they had said on the train about testing into Class A.

Just then, someone else bounded into the lobby through the main doors of the office. He quickly took his place next to Yao's side, a bright smile lighting up his face, his copper hair catching the glow of the chandelier. Gilbert noticed one wayward curl sprouting from the side of his head, but who was he to judge other's hair? After all, his snow-white hair often caught everyone's attention, especially contrasted with his red eyes.

"Ve! I'm here," the newcomer beamed happily at them, in a sort of adorable way.

"Feliciano, this is Ludwig. He has his schedule, so can you show him around? He's new here, aru," Yao said to the cheery Italian.

"Okay!" Feliciano nodded, then turned to Ludwig, "C'mon, let's go before it gets too dark out." Still keeping that joyful disposition, Feliciano grabbed the blonde's wrists and pulled him out the door before he could say anything.

"Alright, now that they're gone, we can go ahead with your test," Yao told Gilbert as he led him outside and down one of the cobblestone pathways. He had chosen a particular walkway that seemed to snake through the campus, weaving in and out of buildings, until they had reached an area of the campus that barely had any students lingering around.

"Where are we going?" Gilbert asked, noting the slight change of scenery. He guessed they were near the back of the school, farthest from the academy's main office, because this section was much less populated. Maybe it was just his imagination, but the shade of the surrounding buildings appeared to be a little darker, and more enigmatic. Even the cobblestones he walked on had changed from a effervescent beige color to a grayish brown one.

"The Hunter's Gymnasium," he replied casually, pointing up ahead where one building stood out from the rest. It was noticeably larger than any of the others that comprised the Academy, and lining its double door entrance were two esteemed statues, one was a man, with muscular stone arms and a gladiator uniform, wielding a stone sword, while the other, a woman with lean features brandished a spear.

When they stepped to the metal double doors, Yao lightly tapped one of the metal rings that served as a door knob. Then he took a step back, and the doors, which just creaked at first, began to swing open by themselves, reveal and large, but mostly empty, room. It was like any other gymnasium, except for its enormous size and the fact that there was only a gigantic white circle chalked on the floor instead of a basketball court. Against the walls were tall, stone bleachers, and Gilbert was surprised that they were occupied at the moment. There were about fifty students already seated, chattering away, as if they were waiting for a show to start. Gilbert even spotted Alfred sitting in one of the middle rows, talking to a blonde guy with green eyes and big brows. Francis and Antonio were there too.

"What's going on?" Gilbert asked, bewildered.

"Whenever there's a new demon hunter, all the Classes know about it," Yao halfsmiled, "And Class A through C are supposed to report to the gym for the newcomer's test. Everyone comes, because you might be fighting any of them, but they also get a kick out of watching the new kid get beat up."

"Well, today's going to be different," he smirked back, ready to win this thing. A man sitting in the front row caught sight of them, stood up, and headed their way. He was tall, with broad shoulders, with olive skin and dark hair. Judging from his expression and the way he walked, Gilbert could tell the man had a more cocky, arrogant demeanor, much like himself, actually.

"Gilbert, this is our combat teacher, Mr. Sadik Adnan," Yao introduced, then he turned to the teacher, "And this is Gilbert, the new recruit, aru."

"Alright, Yao, I'll take it from here," Mr. Adnan nodded, and Yao went to take his seat. "So, Gilbert, do you know what Class you'll be testing for? I take it you already know the basic system here."

"Class A," Gilbert told him offhandedly, as if were no big deal, absolutely radiating confidence.

Mr. Adnan grinned, and chuckled, as if he had heard a funny joke or something. "Okay, if that's what you really want. Try not to get to get too many broken bones," he chortled, making Gilbert frown slightly. Obviously this man did not think much of him...yet, but he was going to change that with this fight. Mr. Adnan turned toward the crowd in the bleachers, as if looking for a certain someone. "Hmm...Arthur? No...Ivan? Nah, I don't wanna kill you on the first day...Yong Soo, maybe? Let's see here...oh, here we go! Kim, it's your turn to give the test!"

A girl in the third row stood up and sighed. Murmurs and snickers rippled through the crowd. As the girl, who he assumed to be Kim, made her way down the bleachers, one boy somewhere amongst the spectators called out vivaciously, "Give us a good show, Kim!"

"Alright," Mr. Adnan said to Gilbert, "Time to start. If you'll just step inside the circle..." As Gilbert made his way toward the center of the chalked circle, which had about a hundred feet radius, Kim also headed toward the epicenter. They stopped, facing each other, with roughly fifteen feet separating them. Gilbert eyed his opponent carefully, and knew she was doing the same. He didn't know what her special talents were, but he remembered Alfred saying she was a good tactician. She had a petite figure, but that also meant she was going to be nimble, and light on her feet.

Mr. Adnan had returned to the bleachers, and he called out, his voice booming throughout the gym, "Alright, here are today's rules. Your task is to defeat your opponent, and you are considered defeated if both of your feet are outside the circle, or if you can no longer stand. There is no killing or serious maiming, but you can draw blood. However, if a serious injury is inflicted, then I will stop the match and this test won't count, so don't be too vicious, either of you. You can use any skills or abilities your soul allows you to do, if it doesn't immediately kill your opponent. Don't want any more deaths in this gym, now do we? Right then, at the sound of the bell, you may begin."

Both Kim and Gilbert shifted into fighting stances, and Gilbert could tell from her professional posture that she was well-trained in the martial arts. "Only the best demon hunters can make Class A," Kim said to him loudly, her voice unwavering and stern.

"Then I'll fit right in," Gilbert flashed a toothy grin, red eyes alight with excitement.

"I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're new," she warned good-naturedly, "But good luck."

"I wouldn't want you to," he smirked, "And you too."

There was a tense moment of silence, and then the bell rang and the match began.

* * *

From the Author: I know this is a long chapter, but I couldn't find a good stopping point until here. Honestly, I don't like introductions, but I was able to endure this chapter, because I know I'll love writing the next one! I can't wait to finally type up some more action~

Btw, Kim is my human name for Vietnam, if you couldn't guess that already. And Yong Soo is Korea in case you didn't know.

Anyways, thanks for reading, favorting, and following! Until next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Hetalia is not owned by me in any way.

* * *

As soon as the bell rang, Kim didn't waste a second. Moving swiftly with light steps, she surged forward, attempting to strike Gilbert across the temple of his head. But Gilbert was fast as well, rolling out of the way just before she could reach him. As he came out of his somersault, smirking, he summoned his soul's energy to the palm of his right hand. Kim was about to attack on the offensive once more, but she hesitated, seeing the long pole begin to take shape in his grasp. Realizing his trick, she darted forward, trying to disrupt his manifestation, but Gilbert jumped out of the way and evaded her strikes long enough for his weapon to form completely. From one end of the shaft sprouted a spear tip, and then the curved blade of a small axe, combining to create a fully functional and authentic halberd, one of Gilbert's favorite weapons. It was much lighter than the axe he had used a couple of nights ago, it had to be, since his opponent was agile and lithe. The sharp blade was more aerodynamic and easier to handle, and as Gilbert brandished its finished form, he could heard students in the crowd gasp and even whoop excitedly.

Once his weapon was complete, Kim leapt out of the range of his swing, regarding him cautiously. "Very impressive," she remarked, a small smile tugging on her lips, "Let's see how well you can control it."

Gilbert twirled the shaft of the halberd with ease, grinning with those pearly whites of his. "Why don't I show you?" He could feel the adrenaline begin to rush inside him. It was exhilarating, and he felt so amped up, he could already taste victory on his tongue. This was going to be awesome. Deciding it was his turn to go on the offensive, engaging his female adversary in close combat. She didn't flee, but instead dodged his initial attacks, the tip of the spearhead barely missing her. Gilbert swung his halberd, forcing her to duck, then quickly changed the direction of his attack, jabbing forward instead. Kim was able to switch her momentum at the last moment, jumping backwards, the blade cutting so close to her it tore the fitted work-out shirt she wore.

Gilbert realized that that move was almost too close. The rules stated no maiming, didn't they? He figured he should switch weapons into a less...piercing one, but as he analyzed Kim's every move, he also realized that she didn't look like she was under any stress or pressure at all. It was almost as if she wasn't even trying. There was sweat beading her forehead from the physical motions, but her expression was too casual, almost apathetic. After she had moved out of his reach, she quickly examined the tear in her shirt. "Oh well," she shrugged it off, then shifted back into a fighting stance, her gaze just daring Gilbert to come at her.

Gilbert raised his brow, a bit puzzled, "I thought you said you weren't going to go easy on me."

"I'm not going easy," she shook her head, but Gilbert could tell that wasn't a complete truth. It slighted him, and the last thing he wanted was her _charity_ in this fight.

"Well, you're not going all-out either," Gilbert said evenly, causing murmurs from the spectators on the bleachers, "Don't hold back, I want to get the full experience of fighting my first demon hunter."

Kim halfsmiled, "If that's what you really want. Remember, you asked for it." And suddenly she launched herself his way again, moving had a faster speed than the last time. He barely had any time to register her punch, but he managed to sidestep it, her fist brushing the side of his cheek. Instinctively, Gilbert recoiled, startled, stumbling back. Before he could regain his balance, Kim lunged, landing her punch square in his chest.

The impact of her single blow was staggering, sending Gilbert tumbling backwards quite a few feet, but he stayed within the boundaries of the chalked circle. Even still, her strike was incredibly powerful, too powerful to be an ordinary hit. As Gilbert hit the ground, the halberd flew out of his grasp, dissolving as it skittered away. At first, he couldn't comprehend what had just happened. His chest hurt, that was no surprise, but the ache seemed to run _deeper_ than that. It was as if she didn't just strike him physically. Then it hit him. Her blow didn't just attack his body, but somehow she manage to assail his core, his soul. He recognized the pain to be coming from his soul, only because when the Ouroboros Mark stung, it also stung his soul, but he had gotten used to that kind of pain by now. However, he had never dealt with something like her skill before. Instead of a sting or a burn, it was like being sucker-punched in a sensitive area, only it hurt twice as bad.

Groaning, Gilbert forced himself to sit up, determined to keep fighting and trying his best to ignore the ache in his soul. Kim waited patiently as he pushed himself back on his feet, cracking his back and watching her carefully. "Lesson number one," she said calmly, "Class A is comprised of all the best demon hunters that come to train here, and most of us possess a special soul skill that gives us an enormous advantage over our foes. Your soul projection is extraordinary, I'll give you that, but just because you have an exceptional soul skill doesn't automatically put you in Class A. Your soul has to be just as exceptional, it has to be strong enough to endure the limitless pain that a demon can inflict on you."

"Makes sense," Gilbert replied, just as levelheaded, a bit humbled after that last blow, but not ready to give up just yet, "But I'd say my soul's pretty strong too. I fought a lot of demons, by myself, so it'll take more than one of your soul-skilled punches to take me out."

As he slid into a defensive stance this time, he remembered one of Illedris's old teachings, from when he was only a little kid. If there's an opponent in which the immediate means of victory are unknown and uncertain, especially if it's a demon (or in this case, someone who can attack souls), then the first step is to set up defenses around the soul. Gilbert had left his soul too vulnerable going into this match, since he assumed it wasn't in harm's way, but now that he knew her skill, he could be more careful, and he could safeguard it. He couldn't really shield it from her attacks, but he could brace himself next time. And he also knew to try to avoid any of her strikes as best he could.

"Ever heard of three strikes and you're out?" Kim asked, voice languid, "That rule applies to most mortals who enter in close combat with me. You already have one strike. Only two more to go and you're done."

Gilbert bit his lip, considering her words. She was right, of course, if all her punches were that powerful, then he really couldn't stand too many more. That first strike had already impeded his ability to summon a weapon. He didn't have enough soul energy left to manifest something and be keenly alert of the fight. But he didn't absolutely need a weapon to defeat her, though one would be useful. He'd just have to rely on his bare hands.

"Well, first you'll have to hit me twice if you want this match to end," Gilbert chuckled, "Go ahead and try."

His audacious demeanor surprised Kim, but she accepted that challenge, knowing she could easily take him out in this condition. As she bolted towards, Gilbert tensed, readying his soul for impact, but he still tried to dodge and counterattack. He was able to evade her first jab, but he realized too late that it was only a feint, and she whirled around and thrust her foot into his stomach, not only kicking his physical body, but also his soul.

Gilbert reeled sideways, hugging his midsection, struggling to keep from doubling over. He couldn't go out already! No way this chick could defeat Gilbert Beilschmidt so easily! He was more awesome than that! Again, Kim waited for him to try to recompose himself, not in any pressure to rush.

God, did that one hurt! Just two strikes had really taken a toll on his soul. The pain emitted from within him, disorienting his ability to think clearly, but he shook his head and forced himself to get it together. This pain...it was nothing, nothing compared to what Illedris had put him through, right? Of course, Illedris had never whipped his soul directly like this before, but still. She had Marked him, which was an excruciating process in itself, and if he could live through that, if he was strong enough to overcome his own fears to seal his soul away to a demon, then he should be strong enough to make it through this. This was nothing.

Kim was genuinely startled when Gilbert stood up straight in a matter of seconds, his unbroken confidence clearly written all over his face. As he wiped off the sweat from his forehead, he flashed another grin. "Why the surprised look on your face? You said three strikes, right? Well, you've only landed two. You didn't think that was enough to beat me, did you?"

"Why do you insist on goading me when you know you can't win? Why not just give up now, while you can still stand?" Kim inquired, and he could see she was testing him. Testing his perseverance.

"What's the fun in that?" Gilbert laughed, even though his gut still hurt.

"Alright then, let's finish this," Kim smiled, and then she beset him once more, but this time, Gilbert was able to hold out longer, avoiding her touch. Honestly, she didn't understand where his newfound strength had come from. One minute he was about to topple, and the next he was ready for more. Deciding it was time to take it up a notch, and show him what Class A students were really made of, she launched herself upward, leaping _over_ Gilbert entirely, the albino caught totally off guard. And then, while his back was to her, she struck him with her fist, right above his shoulder blade.

Then something strange happened. As soon as she made contact with his body, Gilbert knew she was going to attack his soul, and so he braced himself for the third strike, but that didn't happen. Instead, what happened was, she struck him right where his Ouroboros Mark was, hidden under his shirt. The Mark seemed to send a tiny electric shock through Gilbert's own soul, but it acted as a repellent to Kim's soul attack. She was sent flying backward, and almost tumbled out of the circle, but not quite.

A collective gasp came from the bleachers. Even Gilbert whirled around in shock, wondering what the hell just happened. Kim picked herself off the floor, staring at him with wide eyes.

"What did you..." she sputtered, but then snapped out of it, knowing the match wasn't over yet. But the shock that rippled through Gilbert's soul seemed to have replenished its energy, and he felt as good as new again, like his batteries had just been recharged or something. This time when she came at him, he also took the offensive, dodging her first attacks, then counterattacking with punches of his own. He couldn't manage to land a blow on her though, she was too supple, but she wasn't able to strike his soul either. They were fighting dangerously near the edge of the chalked circle, moving ever so close to its boundaries.

That's when Kim made what would have been a minor error, but Gilbert took his opportunity. She tried to hit him across the face, a hit that would have definitely crippled his soul for the rest of the match, but Gilbert anticipated it, ducking quickly, and then countering before she could stop her own momentum. He threw and uppercut punch that connected with the bottom of her chin, sending her wobbling a few steps back.

Then Gilbert pressed forward and then suddenly stopped inches in front of her. Without any force really, he gave her a little shove. Kim blinked at him, confused at that last move, but then the bell rang, and Mr. Adnan announced, "We have a winner!"

Kim's eyes widened and she glanced down. Both of her feet were just outside the white line that bordered the match's circle. She looked back up at Gilbert, her mouth hanging open. He winked at her.

Mr. Adnan stepped down from the bleachers, trying to contain his own flabbergasted laughter, then stood next to Gilbert, facing the crowd. He grabbed the albino's wrists and raised it up in the air, saying, "Meet your new Class A student!"

At first, all of the spectators were in complete shock, but then they erupted into loud cheers and applause. Even Kim smiled good-naturedly, and clapped for him. Mr. Adnan dropped his hand and turned to Gilbert, "Welcome to Class A. Lessons start at 8 a.m. sharp tomorrow, so don't be late. Other than that, congratulations and see you tomorrow." The Turkish man shook his hand and then walked towards the exit, chuckling to himself.

Meanwhile, students were coming down from the bleachers to congratulate their newest peer. People Gilbert didn't even know were patting him on the back and shaking his hands. He laughed involuntarily. He loved being this awesome.

Then he remembered his opponent, and offered to shake her hand. "Good fight," he said with good sportsmanship, and Kim also grinned, shaking his hand.

"You too. Welcome to Class A. You deserve it."

Alfred came up and patted Gilbert's shoulder happily, "That was amazing, dude! You were so cool out there! I can't believe you won!"

The crowd of students around him was beginning to disperse, now that the initial awe of his victory was settling down. Yao and a couple of others lingered around to talk to him. "That was incredible," Yao remarked, shaking his head in disbelief, "You weren't supposed to actually win. You could have made Class A without winning, you just had to last a good ten minutes, aru. The new kid never wins!"

"Told you I'd make it," Gilbert chuckled.

"Congrats, amigo," Antonio complimented as Francis nodded cheerfully.

"We have to celebrate, mon ami," he announced elatedly, "Me, you and Toni, we'll treat you to something at the cafe, for giving us such a great show today."

"I'm down," Gilbert smirked, following the Frenchman and the Spaniard out the double doors of the gym and down the cobblestone path.

As they walked through the campus under the orangey sky, it being around six o'clock in the evening, both Antonio and Francis were still marveling over Gilbert's victory. "Kim's only been beaten by four other people, Ivan, Arthur, Alfred, and Kiku. I can't believe you did it!" Antonio exclaimed, "Yao was right, the new kid isn't supposed to win at all. How did you repel her third strike? That was loco!"

"Yeah, how did you do that?" Francis asked curiously.

"Um..." Gilbert hesitated. He wasn't even sure how that happened, but he knew it defintely had something to do with the Ouroboros Mark, his secret. But he wasn't going to tell them that. "I'm just that awesome?"

That seemed to be a satisfying answer, because the other two just laughed and moved on. "You know, I think Class A needed someone like you, mon ami," Francis chuckled. "And your soul projection was excellent!"

"That reminds me," Gilbert started thoughtfully, "Kim said everyone in Class A has a soul skill. What are yours?"

"My soul skill is almost like Kim's," Francis replied, "I can touch souls upon physical contact, and I can attack them directly, but Kim's ability is a little more advanced since she's been training a lot longer than I have."

"And I can read souls," Antonio smiled.

"Read souls?" Gilbert raised an eyebrow.

"_Sí, _when I make physical contact with someone, I can read their souls, like a book. Like speed reading. All their most cherished memories and all their worst memories are stored in their soul, since that is what shapes them as a person, and I can read them," he explained helpfully.

Gilbert had to stop himself from going wide-eyed from panic. Had Antonio read his soul when they shook hands? Did he know about the soul deal?! "You...can read anyone's soul? Just by touching them?" he asked cautiously, trying not to sound fretful.

"Well, no, not just anyone's," Antonio amended, "The person has to open up their soul to me, and give me permission. I'm not strong enough yet to force my way into their soul, and even if I was, I wouldn't want to read every soul I came across anyway."

"Oh," Gilbert exhaled, giving a mental _phew_, as the three strolled into a small building near the center of the Academy, that had a picture of a coffee cup on the front door. Inside the cafe was warm and cozy, the smell of hot chocolate, coffee and pastries filling the room and leaving a delectable scent lingering in the air. At the back of the cafe was the counter and the shelves that held the hot buns, cookies, muffins, cupcakes, etc. The only other person inside was the girl working at the cash register and making the drinks, but Francis took a good look around anyway, to make sure they were alone. Once he was sure they were, he perked up, announcing as he made his way to the counter, "Alice, you missed a great duel! Gilbert here, the new kid, beat Kim!"

The girl looked up, blinking in surprise. She had short, slightly curly blonde hair, wearing a green ribbon that acted as a headband and complemented her pretty green eyes. "Really? Kim, as in the Class A strategist?"

"Yeah, loco, right?" Antonio chuckled, taking a seat at one of the square tables nearest the register. Gilbert followed suit, sitting next to him.

Alice quickly whipped up the three hot chocolates Francis ordered, and set them on the table as Francis also seated himself across from Antonio. She also brought them a tray of mini powered doughnuts, saying warmly, "Here, these are extra, so they're on the house."

"Gracias!" Antonio beamed before stuffing one into in his mouth. As Francis sipped his hot coco, Alice turned to Gilbert with a pleasant smile.

"I'm Alice, it's nice to meet you!"

"And you can call me Gilbert," he grinned, loving the attention of such a pretty girl.

"Alice is in Class C," Francis told him, "But she has a knack for stirring up special soul remedies that are really soothing and relaxing, especially after a fight. Her brother, Lars, is in Class B."

Gilbert was about to say something, when the door opened and two more students walked in. They seemed to be twins, both had coppery hair and wayward curls, except that one wore a cheery expression while the other looked bored and moody. Gilbert recognized the happy one to be Feliciano, the one who took Ludwig on the tour earlier today.

"Hello Feliciano, and Lovino," Alice greeted welcomingly, returning behind the counter to take their orders. Feliciano asked for two hot chocolates as well, and entered a light and merry conversation with Alice, while Antonio waved for Lovino to come over to their table. Lovino frowned, but then sighed and ambled over.

"What do you want, tomato bastard?" Lovino asked indifferently, as if he was tired or something. Gilbert furrowed his brow, wondering why this kid was so rude, calling Antonio a name like that. It wasn't like Gilbert didn't cuss, he did all the time, but who could cuss at someone as positive as Antonio?

"Just wanted to say hi, Lovi," Antonio said, as if the "tomato bastard" comment was normal.

"I told you not to call me that," Lovino huffed, his grumpy gaze drifting over to Francis, then Gilbert.

"Do you want a doughnut?" Antonio offered, holding out one of the powdery pastries to him, but Lovino tore his gaze from Gilbert and shook his head.

"Not now. I'm too fucking tired. I'm just here with Feliciano and then we're going back to our dorm."

Feliciano came by, holding the two cups of hot coco, and chirped, "Okay, Lovi, let's go! Bye Toni, Francis, and Gilbert! By the way, that was a good fight, Gilbert!" Feliciano gave him one of those innocent smiles then headed toward the door with Lovino. "Bye!"

"See ya, Lovi," Antonio called, but Lovino didn't bother responding and jus left the cafe.

"What the hell was that guy's problem?" Gilbert demanded, a little affronted at the moody brother's behavior.

"Who, Lovino?" Francis said, like he didn't even notice anything was wrong, "That's just how he usually is."

"You let him talk to you like that, Toni?" the albino asked, a little concerned for the Spaniard. "That's so un-awesome."

"I don't blame Lovi for being like that," Antonio shook his head, "Everyone either just ignores him or tolerates him, but I'm his friend, so please don't hate him. It's not his fault, I swear."

"Not his fault?" Gilbert echoed, puzzled.

"Well..." Antonio frowned and stared down at the tray of doughnuts, "I've read his soul once before. He's had a...rough life."

"What happened?" Gilbert asked, wondering why Antonio was so down all of a sudden. Rough life? Gilbert doubted that anyone's life could possibly be any rougher than his. Gilbert had sealed his soul away to a she demon when he was only nine and endured her endless lessons and battled other demons for seven years on his own, how could someone's life get harsher than that?

"I doubt he wants me telling people, so don't tell him I told you this," Antonio sighed, "But before I tell you, you should know this: when I read a person's soul, I see their memories through their eyes, like I was really there, experiencing it, so I know how he felt. When Lovino was ten, his village was attacked by a fire demon. The whole village was burned down before the Venator Academy's hunters could even get there. Feliciano and Lovino's parents died trying to save them from the demon, but Feliciano was bitten by it just before the demon hunters could drive it away. Eventually the hunters did lead it away from what was left of the villagers, but the Feliciano's bite was fatal. When the demon bit him, it consumed part of his soul."

"You mean...half of his soul was eaten?" Gilbert stammered, shocked.

Francis nodded grimly, having heard the story before. Antonio continued, "Feliciano was dying right before Lovino's eyes..." He shuddered, recalling the memory he had seen from Lovino's soul, "I was...I mean, he was terrified and desperate to save him. That's when something crazy happened. Something that rarely ever happens. A reaper came."

"A reaper..." Gilbert repeated, trying to recall what Illedris had taught him about reapers. She had said that they were also soulless creatures, and they couldn't be killed. They were almost like anti-demons in a way, and there were only seven of them in existence. Reapers were once living mortals, but were endowed with the ability to watch over Earth and facilitate lost souls to the afterlife. Their sole priority was to make sure that mortal souls did not linger in the mortal world. They didn't interfere with humans, neither mundane or demon hunter, and typically stayed away from demons. Reapers were powerful creatures, but it was their mandate to avoid earthly affairs, and it was the demon hunter's job to stop demons, not theirs. They just used their mystical power to salvage the souls that had trouble moving on past this life.

Antonio nodded. "A reaper. Most mortals can't see reapers at all, not even most demon hunters, but Lovino could see the reaper for some reason. I think the reaper had come to see if any remaining souls left by the destruction caused by the demon were still lingering around their mortal bodies, and if she could help shuttle them out of the mortal world. In the memory, the reaper came to Feliciano's body, assuming Lovino couldn't see her, to release his soul, or what was left of it. But Lovino begged her not to take his soul away, and from what I can tell from the memory, she was shocked and told him that there was nothing she could do to fix Feli's soul so the best thing to do was let it go. By this part, the memory was really intense, and it was almost too hard to focus on since his emotions spiked, but Lovino told the reaper he was willing to share his soul with his brother if that's what it took."

"Share his soul? Is that even possible?" His red eyes reflected his bewilderment.

"I didn't think so until I read his soul," he shrugged, the returned to his story, "The reaper considered his proposal, and asked him if he was willing to endure the most tremendous pain to save his brother, and Lovi said that he was. Then the reaper carried out his wish, out of sympathy I think, and summoned her scythe. She did it, she split his soul in two."

Gilbert gaped at him, "No way...that's impossible! You-you saw that in the memory?!" Split the soul? Illedris had never once considered that was even possible, and neither did Gilbert. How could anyone survive without a complete soul?

"That's where the memory ends. There was a horrible pang of absolute agony," Antonio took a shaky breath in remembrance, "and then Lovino passed out. But it worked! You saw them just now, Feliciano lived and so did Lovino. What was left of Feliciano's soul merged with the part Lovino gave him, so ever since they've pretty much shared a soul."

"That's...unbelievable," Gilbert murmured, his mind reeling.

"But sadly, the story isn't all happy endings, mon ami." Francis sighed, prompting Antonio to finish telling the rest of the story.

"_Sí_," Antonio said regretfully, "When Lovi's soul split, so did his personality. It was one of the consequences. But he chose to give the more positive part of his soul to Feliciano, so his brother could be happy, while he kept the part with the negative characteristics of himself. That's why he acts the way he does. But I think his part of the soul doesn't have to be negative for the rest of his life, I think it can change, even if Lovino doesn't."

"Wow," was all Gilbert could manage to say. He and Lovino's situations were so similar yet so different. Both had struck a deal with an inhuman entity to save their brothers, but Gilbert had to sell all of his soul to a heartless demon while a sympathetic reaper let Lovino give up part of his soul. Now he really couldn't blame the uncouth Italian, but instead he felt like they were almost in the same boat. Lovino really did have it rough, he had to admit, but perhaps not as rough as Gilbert.

"So don't get to angry with him, okay?" Antonio asked hopefully.

"Alright, I'll try," Gilbert answered. Antonio thanked him gratefully, and Francis stood up to go use the cafe's bathroom.

"I'll go with you, since I need to wash my hands," Antonio chuckled, the powder from the doughnuts caking his fingers. Gilbert remained seated, sipping his hot chocolate, still thinking about Lovino's memory, and then the door opened and another pair of students entered the homely cafe.

"One white chocolate mocha, please, da ze!" one of them called energetically, obviously in a good mood. He had dark brown-black hair, with one strand that stuck up then curled back. Seriously, what with all the flyaway curls around this place?

"Coming right up, Yong Soo!" Alice giggled at his enthusiasm, "And for you Kiku?"

"I'm fine, thank you," the other student, Kiku, nodded graciously.

The first student, Yong Soo, finally seemed to catch sight of Gilbert sitting at the table by himself, and immediately went up to him. "Hey! You're the one who beat Kim earlier! That was pretty cool, da ze! You'll fit right into Class A. I'm Yong Soo, by the way, and this is Kiku," he introduced as Kiku came to stand next to him.

"Nice to meet you," Kiku greeted politely.

"My name's Gilbert," he grinned, "Yong Soo, right? You're the one with the soul shell, aren't you?" He recalled Yao telling him something about it on the train yesterday.

"Yep, so you've heard of me?" Yong Soo smiled broadly, "Well that's no surprise since I'm the one who-"

He was cut off abruptly when Alice called, "Mocha's done!" Yong Soo forgot all about his conversation with Gilbert and bounced to the counter, taking the mug gingerly from Alice.

Meanwhile, Gilbert noticed that Kiku was staring at him strangely, with a bemused expression on his face. After a moment, Kiku didn't stop, or seem to notice that Gilbert noticed, so Gilbert waved his hand in front of his face, say, "Hey, man, you okay? What's the matter?"

Kiku blinked, then shook his head. But then he narrowed his eyes at Gilbert once more, and muttered, barely audible, "Your soul...it's tainted..."

"W-what?" Gilbert questioned, alarmed. Kiku was about to say something more, when Antonio and Francis returned to the table. Yong Soo also came back, and tugged on Kiku's arm.

"Let's hurry already, Kiku!" he said excitedly, "There's another drama on tonight, and the show isn't going to wait for us!"

"Right..." Kiku said reluctantly, throwing another perplexed look Gilbert's way, before following Yong Soo out the door.

"What was that all about?" Gilbert frowned at the door.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Antonio inquired.

"That one kid...Kiku, he was just staring at me for some reason."

"Oh, Kiku," Francis explained, "He's also in Class A. He can see souls, and he's our best tracker."

"See souls?"

"_Sí, _it's actually a very handy skill. A demon can disguise itself as a mortal, but Kiku can see souls, so he would know it wasn't mortal," Antonio informed him.

"Oh. So, on a completely different matter," Gilbert lied, since it was completely related to his encounter with Kiku, "What does it mean when a soul is tainted?"

Francis thought about this for a moment. "Well, a tainted soul is any soul that's not pure, I guess. In school it's used to describe any soul that has a corruption. Like a black soul, or a soul that's been influenced by evil. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Gilbert lied again. But inside his head, he was on the verge of having a mini panic attack. Kiku saw his soul! That meant he saw the black splotch that Illedris had given him with the Ouroboros Mark. Did Kiku know what that meant? Would he tell somebody? Gilbert never imagined that his secret would be in jeopardy so soon.

If his cover was blown...well, Illedris made it very clear what would happen.

Shit.

* * *

From the Author: So that was chapter 3! I already have a basic, yet very flexible outline for the plot of this fanfic, and I have to say, I'm really excited to write it!

Kim is Vietnam, Alice is Belgium, Lars is Netherlands, Yong Soo is S. Korea.

I have so many ideas to weave into this story, so please, stick around! Reviews are appreciated, and so are any follows and favorites, so thanks so much to those who have already done so! It really means a lot! Thanks, and until next chapter~


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Hetalia whatsoever.

* * *

As Gilbert, Antonio, and Francis walked out of the cafe, they all said bye to Alice, and strolled down the cobblestone paths of the campus. It was twilight out already, so old-fashion street lamps lined the walkways, casting yellow lights that gave the school an uncanny look about it, but Gilbert didn't mind, he thought it looked pretty cool, in fact. As they three passed the Academy's library, a girl about their grade exited its doors, carrying three books in her arms, and for some reason, Gilbert couldn't help but stare. She had long, light brown hair that was a little wavy at the ends, and sparkling green eyes.

When she looked up, she noticed Gilbert eying her down the path, and gave a small smile. He wasn't sure why, but Gilbert stopped walking and waited for her to catch up. Francis and Antonio realized he had stopped and hung back as well, but they gave them some space. "Hey, need some help with those books?" Gilbert asked in the dreamiest voice he could muster. He spoke without thinking, and when he realized what he had said, he thought, what the hell? Where did that come from? Books? He was offering to carry her _books_? What?

"No thanks, I can take care of it myself," the girl waved off, but then she looked him over carefully. "You're the new Class A student, right? I watched the match earlier."

"Oh, so you saw just how awesome I am?" Gilbert winked, while Francis chuckled a few feet behind him. "You don't have to congratulate me, I already know!"

The girl rolled her eyes. "So you're one of those guys, huh?" Then she dropped her voice and muttered something under her breath. Gilbert wasn't too sure what she said, but it sounded like, "Another Class A jerk."

"Huh?" Gilbert frowned, confused.

"Oh, never mind. Anyway I have to get back to my dorm now. See ya," she said as she turned and walked the opposite direction. Once she was out of earshot, Francis snorted and patted Gilbert on the back.

"Smooth, mon ami," he snorted.

"Who is that girl?" Gilbert inquired, still staring after her, bemused.

"That's Elizaveta, she's Class B," Antonio informed him nonchalantly.

"Yeah, and she hates the Academy's demon hunter program," Francis continued, still chuckling.

"How come?"

"Well, the instructors stuck her in Class B, and they won't move her up to Class A. She's obsessed with taking a Class A assignment, but they won't let her. So naturally, she hates most of the people in our Class," the Frenchman explained lightly, as if it were just another passing piece of gossip.

"Is she any good?" Gilbert titled his head to the side questioningly.

"At demon hunting? She's one of the better Class B students, if that's what you're asking, but she doesn't stand a chance against Class A students, much less a real demon. Though her determination is fierce," Francis shrugged.

"So..." Gilbert started, getting to the real question, "Does she have a boyfriend?"

"Elizaveta? Well, not technically, not officially, but lately she's being seeing Roderich a lot more often. There are rumors that they're together, but I don't know for sure, mon ami."

"Roderich? Who's that?"

"Class B. But he's one of the smartest guys in Venator Academy," Antonio told him.

"So he's like a nerd or something?" Gilbert smirked. That was good, he could compete with that and win no problem.

"I guess, yeah, but Elizaveta seems to like him a lot," Francis went on, knowing the look on Gilbert's face. "So if you really want to get with her, you should know that she doesn't really find arrogance attractive."

"Well I can't help it if I'm so awesome," Gilbert huffed as they entered the guys' dorms. The trio trudged up the stairs to the fifth floor, which was apparently reserved only for demon hunters, so that none of their secrets would reach the mundane mortals.

"We have one little problem," Francis sighed when they reached his door, "You're sharing a room with your brother, right? So he'll also be staying on the fifth floor."

Gilbert bit his lip. "Do you think we should stay separate, then? How would I explain that one to Luddy..."

"No, I think it's okay. The headmaster already sent notes to everyone else on this floor, telling them not to say anything to your _hermano_," Antonio said, holding a piece of paper up for them to see.

"Where did you get that?" Gilbert asked. Antonio responded by pointing to the mat that sat in front of his dorm.

"That's how we get mail," Francis explained, "Under the mats in front of our dorms."

"Well that's not very private," Gilbert frowned, but then he realized he didn't really care, since he probably wouldn't even get mail. The only person who would even want to contact him was Illedris, and she definitely wouldn't being sending him postcards anytime soon.

"I think that's your dorm," Antonio said, pointing to the door next to his. Then he gestured to the door next to him, "And this is mine and Francis's. We're your neighbors!"

"And the one on the other side of yours belongs to Yong Soo and Kiku, and the one across the hall from yours is Alfred and Arthur's. The one across from ours is Feliciano and Lovino's," Francis pointed to each of them as he spoke, "And down the hall over there is where Yao lives."

"Well isn't Yao lucky, he gets the dorm to himself," Gilbert sighed, a little jealous. But at least he was sharing with his brother, and not some random student who could be crazy/perverted/serial killer.

Both Francis and Antonio shifted uncomfortably, making Gilbert raise an eyebrow. "He's not lucky," Antonio said grimly. "His roommate was his younger brother Tao. But..."

"What happened? Was he killed by a demon or something?" Gilbert questioned, reading the concern and pity written all over their faces.

"No one around here really likes to talk about it," Francis frowned, scratching his head uncomfortably, "Mainly because no one really knows exactly, but no, Tao's not dead...technically."

"Technically not dead? What's that supposed to mean?"

"He fell into some kind of strange coma. They keep him in a separate room in the infirmary," Antonio explained sadly, "It's been almost a year now, and only a few people have seen him since, because his room is strictly off limits. Only Yao and Kiku actually know the details, but no one has the heart to ask them what actually happened."

"Oh," was all Gilbert could muster. He had been with Yao the past two nights, traveling here to the Academy, and Yao was the one who practically landed him an enrollment spot. But he never even considered that Yao's life was wrought with tragedy, much like his own. It almost seemed like every demon hunter around here had a horrible background. It never occurred to Gilbert that perhaps, his own life could have been much worse. Suppose Illedris never made the deal with him, and took his brother away instead. Gilbert would have never been able live with the trauma and the guilt. Life as her servant was also painful and tedious, but it was bearable for the most part. But Yao didn't have the chance to save his younger brother, though "technically" his brother wasn't dead. Gilbert could only imagine the anxiety and desperation that Yao hid under his composed and focused personality.

"Yeah, it's terrible," Francis sighed, "Yao can't even use his soul skill to heal Tao's condition."

"Is that his soul skill? Healing others?" Gilbert asked curiously.

"_Sí, _he can use his own soul energy to his others' wounds and even soul wounds, and he can heal himself too. But for some reason, his skill won't help Tao."

"On a different note," Francis said, changing the subject to something less hopeless and dreary, "If you're ready to go by 7:30 tomorrow morning, we can head over to the Class A room for first period. Anyone who shows up late has to run laps instead of combat training for third period, so I wouldn't sleep in if I were you, mon ami."

"Right," Gilbert nodded. Combat training sounded so cool, he could hardly wait! No way was he going to be running laps instead of fighting. Francis and Antonio headed into their dorm, and Gilbert was about to enter his, when the door on the other side of his opened, and Kiku stepped out, but he stopped when he noticed Gilbert standing there.

"H-hello," Kiku greeted, somewhat nervously.

"Hey..." Gilbert said slowly, caution in his voice. Kiku could see that his soul was an ordinary demon hunter soul, that was for sure, but how much Kiku had deduced, Gilbert didn't know. He couldn't afford to blow his cover so soon, or Illedris would be furious. Perhaps his could lie to Kiku and make up some random, insane-as-shit story explaining the black impurity on his soul, but if Kiku didn't buy it, would he have to result to force or intimidation? Could he even intimidate another Class A student?

"Um, about what I said to you earlier, in the cafe," Kiku started, a bit embarrassed, "That was very rude of me. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions to easily. It's just, I've never seen a soul like yours before so I assumed it was tainted. I realize now that that could be anything, a past wound from a demon bite, or something. If what I said offended you, I'm very sorry."

Gilbert's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe his luck! Kiku was giving him the benefit of the doubt! This was so awesome! But Gilbert recomposed himself quickly, and made up a cover story, "Y-yeah. When I was on my own hunting demons, I almost got slaughtered once, and the demon attacked my soul and left this weird scar on it, and I can't seem to get it to go away. I figured that in time it would heal." His lie was, well, a stretch, but maybe he could use Kiku's pity against him. "So, do you, uh, mind doing me a huge favor? Please don't tell anyone, I don't want them to think that it makes me weak or anything, especially since I'm new here. I want my reputation to be a clean slate." Gilbert let a little helplessness slip into his voice, making him seem like a dying puppy or at least, that's what he hoped he sounded like.

Apparently he was a good actor, or Kiku was just a little gullible, because he answered, "Hai, don't worry, I won't tell anyone." The Japanese student gave him a reassuring smile and a nod before turning to walk down the hall. He glanced back and said, "Sorry again for what I said."

"That's alright," Gilbert grinned, giving him a thumbs up before going into his dorm. Ludwig was already there, unpacking his belongings, claiming the left side of the room for himself. "Hey Luddy!"

"Hello," the blonde said without looking up from what he was doing, "I put your suitcase on your bed. I hope you remembered to bring your toothbrush, because I am not sharing mine."

"Of course I did," Gilbert sniggered, opening his own suitcase to see the few possessions he brought with him, which did, fortunately, include a toothbrush, "So do you like the school? I think it's awesome here!" The albino could barely contain his own excitement, still delighted with himself for fooling Kiku.

"Ja, it's alright. The campus is nice," Ludwig shrugged. School was school to him, no matter where he was, as long as he was succeeding. "How'd your testing go?"

"I passed with flying colors!" Gilbert exclaimed triumphantly, making a sort of super-hero pose as he did so.

Ludwig rolled his eyes, assuming Gilbert was just over exaggerating again. "So who were you talking with outside in the hall? You talk really loud, you know."

Gilbert paled, which is to say, he became paler than usual. "You were eavesdropping, weren't you?" he asked, holding back the alarm in his voice. Did Ludwig hear his conversation with Kiku, and/or did he also hear what Antonio and Francis were saying, all about demon hunting stuff?

"I couldn't hear what you were saying, but I could make out your voice through the door. You ought to keep your voice down, or you might make our neighbors mad," Ludwig said nonchalantly, and Gilbert exhaled in relief. Wow, that was like, his third near-heart-attack in the past few hours alone! First Antonio with his soul reading, then Kiku with his soul seeing, and Ludwig with his good hearing. Damn, keeping his secrets were going to be harder than he thought.

"Whatever," Gilbert shrugged, throwing his suitcase under the desk that the dorm came with. Then he flopped onto his bed, putting his hands behind his head as he laid back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. "Made any friends yet, Luddy?"

"...Not really, not yet," Ludwig sighed as he too got ready for bed. Gilbert frowned for his brother. Ludwig always had a hard time being sociable with people his age, since he was too intense and demanding sometimes, and he could be a bit awkward when it came to being nice. But perhaps Venator Academy would be good for him too. There were all sorts of freaks here (himself included since he was an albino demon hunter) so maybe Ludwig could find one that would suit him as a good friend. Gilbert had already made two awesome friends right off the bat, Francis and Antonio.

"Tomorrow's our first day of classes, so we'll probably meet a ton of new people then," Gilbert speculated, yawning with his last word. "Night, Luddy," he murmured as his brother turned off the lights. He was awake for about an hour after they had stopped talking, and for a while he just listened to Ludwig's steady, light snoring, before he too gradually drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, at around 7:55 a.m., Francis and Antonio had led Gilbert to the Class A classroom, which was in the demon hunter academic building just across the patio from the Hunter's Gymnasium. The academic building had its own appeal, and it kind of reminded Gilbert of a small castle, with four steeples rising from each corner of the square building, and at the top of each steeple was a red and gold flag. But the Class A classroom entrance had its own novelty, its gilded double doors lined with two obelisks, each ten feet tall with incomprehensible runes etched into the limestone. Students who had also arrived early were already lingering outside the doors, socializing with friends or just waiting patiently with a book at hand.

Yao, Kiku, and Yong Soo were already there, and so was Alfred, who was talking with a blonde-haired kid with greens eyes and insanely bushy eyebrows. Francis caught Gilbert staring at his peer, and said, "That's Arthur, the one with the eyebrows. He and Kim are the class reps for Class A in the Hunter's Student Council. His soul skill is projection, like yours is, except for he doesn't manifest solid weapons like you do. Instead he releases bursts of his soul's energy from his hands, and blasts his opponent away. And over there," he pointed to where a girl with long, platinum blonde hair was leaning against wall of the building, "that's Natalya, Ivan's little sister."

Gilbert did a quick analysis of the Belarusian girl, notice her aloof yet fierce body language. To him, she seemed to be irritable and easily aggravated, judging by the look she wore on her face at the present. "She's a tough fighter," Antonio added, "Probably one of the best female fighters at the Academy, second only to Kim. And she always has a knife on her, so don't piss her off."

Francis opened his mouth to add something more, when the two double doors swung open by themselves, and students began to file inside. Francis, Antonio, and Gilbert were the last to enter, except for Ivan, who arrived at the last moment possible before 8 o'clock struck. Gilbert wanted to get a better look at the so-called greatest soul skill wielder Ivan, but he didn't have the time since class was starting. At a quick glance, Ivan was definitely taller than most of the other students, with light colored hair and violet eyes, wearing a somewhat ominous yet cheery smile.

The desks of medium-sized classroom were shaped like a "U" and turned so that each desk faced the middle of room, but each student could still see the white board at the front of the "U" easily. There were only eleven seats total, and apparently one desk had been added upon Gilbert's successful test. Gilbert hadn't realized how small Class A would be, but it made him feel extra special just to be sitting with the rest of them, the best of the best.

There weren't any assigned seats, mainly because the instructors knew that the students knew that any immature behavior was not tolerated at such a high level Class, and so horse-play wasn't going to happen. Francis sat down first on the left side of the "U", and Gilbert and Antonio took a seat on either side of him. When everyone was finally seated, there was only one desk empty, at the midpoint of the "U" and Gilbert looked around to see that Kim was the only one absent, well, her and the instructor. But then both Kim and an older man, probably in his late twenties, walked in, and Kim took her seat.

The older guy, who had the be the teacher, had brown hair and green eyes, along with a flat expression, as if he were neither disenchanted nor particularly excited to be there. "Hello again, class, and for those of you who don't know me, my name is Heracles Karpusi," he said, throwing a brief glance Gilbert's way. "For the first two periods, I'll be teaching you the theoretics of spiritual soul principles, as well as important fundamentals dealing with demon hunting. Then, for the next two periods, you all will proceed to the gym for physical training." He looked again at Gilbert expectantly, since he was the only reason he was explaining any of this, and Gilbert gave a slight nod and a thumbs up, indicating that he understood.

"Very well," Mr. Karpusi went on, his voice a bit monotonous, "You all know we have a new student, Gilbert over here, so make sure you all introduce yourselves to him after class and you know, help him integrate into the demon hunter's program. It's actually convenient you arrived yesterday, because today's just going to be review. Take notes if you need to. You all know how the final exam will be at the end of the term."

Exam? Damnit, Gilbert was no good at written tests. But maybe since it was demon hunting stuff, it'd be a little easier than say, history or math or something. As for the notes...screw that. Gilbert would rather just listen and pay attention without writing everything down. And if he really needed notes, he could probably just borrow them from someone else. '

"Oh, and before I begin, Kim and I just finished recording the grades from all of your last assignments. New assignments will be handed out over the next week or so," he announced. "Now for today's review."

Mr. Karpusi went on about things that Gilbert already knew for the most part, like how souls were a person's life energy, and special individuals had the power to call upon that energy and use it for the greater good of mankind. Most hunters inherited their unique souls from their parents, but some demon hunters have mundane mortals parents and receive their skill through some sort of mutation, and Gilbert figured that applied to him, since no one else in his family were hunters. Once in a while he picked up something new, something Illedris never bothered to tell him.

"Demon hunters have stronger souls than mundane mortals, however, their energies are not unlimited," Mr. Karpusi said, "That's why we need to be careful how much energy we summon at once, because if we go beyond our limit, we can strain our souls and damage them. In extreme cases, we may perish from overuse of energy. Unless of course," Mr. Karpusi looked pointedly at Arthur, "you are Mr. Kirkland over here who can regenerate his soul energy at alarming rates, much faster than the average demon hunter can restore their energy in the midst of a battle." Arthur smirked to himself, as he took notes. Mr. Karpusi shifted his gaze to Alfred, "Or you are Mr. Jones, who we have yet to figure out what exactly his soul skill is." Alfred laughed softly, leaning back in his chair.

But Gilbert was a bit stumped at this. He raised his hand tentatively, and Mr. Karpusi stopped in midsentence, "Yes, Gilbert?"

"I'm confused. What do you mean by our energies are not unlimited? Because I've never had to worry about losing too much energy when I create weapons. I just let them dissolve to dust and make another one," he frowned. Normally, he didn't ask questions in class and just kept to himself the whole time, but this was important, as in life-or-death important.

"Actually, you have," Mr. Karpusi gave a small smile. "When you fought Kim yesterday, you couldn't create a weapon after she struck you the first time, correct? That's because when Kim uses her soul skill, she directly attacks a person's soul, draining their energy with physical contact. After the first hit, you didn't have the energy left to make a weapon." Gilbert thought about this for a moment. He was right, of course, but Illedris had never taught him that before. Maybe she didn't know since she never had a soul to worry about before.

Mr. Karpusi continued, "As for during a normal demon attack, however..." The teacher regarded him carefully for a moment, then said, "How about we collect some data, shall we class? Gilbert, if you would step into the middle of the room where everyone can see you..." The albino shrugged, then got out of his desk and stood in the center of the "U" facing his peers. He had absolutely no problem being the center of attention. "Alright," Mr. Karpusi said, then turned to Kiku, "Kiku, I want you to watch his soul and his soul energy carefully, and tell me what happens when he makes a weapon and when he dissolves it."

Kiku nodded, and observed Gilbert carefully. Okay, maybe he did mind being the center of attention, knowing that Kiku was staring at his soul...and knowing Kiku could always see the black splotch on it. But the Japanese student didn't mention anything about the impurity, like he had promised. So Gilbert went along with the experiment, and held out his arm for everyone to see. Then he willed his soul energy to come to the palm of his hand, and pictured exactly what weapon he wanted. A silver hilt began to take shape in his grasp, and a long, curved, metal blade grew from its open end, forming a firm saber. Then, with a nod from his instructor, Gilbert dropped the weapon, which disintegrated before it could clang to the floor. Impressed looks from all over the classroom made him grin involuntarily.

"When he creates the weapon, his stable soul energy levels decrease noticeably," Kiku reported, "But as soon as he lets go of it, the energy is no longer sustaining the weapon, so it dissolves into nothingness, while the energy that was used to create it returns to the core of his soul."

"There you have it," Mr. Karpusi said as Gilbert returned to his seat, "You never had to worry about energy levels before, because you never actually release your soul's farther from your palms. Now, if the weapon didn't dissolve, and you had to keep using up more energy to make new ones, then you'd be in trouble."

After that, their teacher switched the subject at hand to demons, which are classified as any creature that must consume souls in order to sustain itself and its power. "Since demons do not have souls of their own, they must devour someone else's to exist in the mortal world. When demon hunters slay demons using their own soul energy, the demon's essence does not cease to exist, but vanishes away to the Underworld, while souls after a human has died moves on to the afterlife, and that itself has many theories, depending on what you believe in. Demons vary in size, shape, ability, and just about every other aspect, and are even 'born' in different ways." He paused, taking a sweeping look around the room, then said, "I know we haven't covered this in full detail yet, but how many of you know what a tainted soul is?" Most of the students raised their hands, and Gilbert and Kiku exchanged uneasy glances at each other.

"Good, so then you all know that a tainted soul is one that has been touched by evil. They are very rare, but the most common one to come by is a Black soul, which belongs to a person on their way to becoming a demon. A Black soul is so corrupted by evil that it begins to rot, much like a apple or a banana, and when the soul diminishes completely, it leaves behind a creature that must feast on other souls to fill that void. Pure souls are radiant white, while Black souls are, as the name would suggest, black and cold. It's the most tainted a soul can get. A soul that is tainted can easily follow the path to becoming a Black Soul."

This sent shivers down Gilbert's spine. He soul _was_ tainted by definition, it was touched by evil. Illedris had marked it, but did that mean Gilbert was susceptible to becoming a Black Soul, and then a demon himself? No...that can't be right...

"Um, Mr. Karpusi?" Yao raised his hand reluctantly, "Would a cursed soul be considered a tainted one?"

"That would depend on the definition," Mr. Karpusi replied, "The technical definition states that a cursed soul is one that infected with a perpetual affliction that was forced upon the soul by a demon. So I suppose if we use both technical definitions, then yes, a cursed soul has been touched by evil, so therefore it is tainted, but in my opinion, I would not say so. A curse has been forced upon a soul against its will, but a tainted soul is normally contaminated by evil intentions, mostly willingly, as in, the contamination had been accepted by the person."

Yao nodded, but Gilbert's head was spinning. Was he a cursed soul, or a tainted one? A curse was forced upon a soul, right? But did Illedris really force him to seal his soul? She had specifically asked Gilbert if he accepted the terms of the deal, and he did...but it wasn't due to evil intention! But, truth be told, Gilbert had spoke those words, _I accept, _and had allowed Illedris to contaminate his soul.

The rest of the lesson was boring and basic, so Gilbert didn't really pay attention. He was too busy trying to figure out what kind of soul he was, and if he had any risk of becoming a demon. All he wanted to hear right now was a lesson about soul deals, but he wasn't going to ask, he figured that would be a little suspicious, especially since Kiku could see something off about his soul. When the end of second period finally rolled around, Gilbert was elated to finally stand up and stretch. He need a change of scenery, and he was glad it was finally time to head over to the Hunter's Gym.

All of the Class A students went into the gym and sat down in the first row of the bleachers while Mr. Adnan took roll call. Once he was finished, he announced, "Alright, kids, fifteen minutes of warm up, as usual, so hop to it." Then he took a seat on the top bleacher, the one with the view of the whole gym, and began shuffling through his papers on a clip board, going over the day's combat lesson plan.

"Warm up?" Gilbert asked Francis.

"Yeah, for fifteen minutes at the beginning of ever session, we get to just do whatever we want. If you feel like you don't need to warm up, then you can just sit around. Or you can go over to the weapons rack in the corner over there and practice swing a weapon around. Or you can spar a friend, or challenge someone to a mini duel. Doesn't matter to Mr. Adnan." Francis got up and selected a sword from the weapons rack, as did Antonio, and the two practiced together like it was a daily routine kind of thing. Meanwhile, Yao and Kiku did a little hand-to-hand combat, but only threw light strikes. Kim was stretching, while Yong Soo just did handstands and tried to distract her. Alfred was convinced that to be a good fighter you had to be able to do a flip off the wall, and tried to nail the landing, but couldn't really get the hang of it, as Arthur just watched him with his arms folded across his chest, smirking every time he crashed to the ground. Natalya had set up a human-shaped target and propped it against the wall, then began throwing darts at its head and chest. Ivan just sat on the bleachers, watching everyone else.

Gilbert didn't know what to do. For the first five minutes, he tried summoning a new type of weapon that he hadn't used before. It was one of his own design, it was supposed to be a metal claw that fit over his hands, like a glove, but over each finger was a long, sharp claw that would seriously leave a deep gash in whatever he swiped at. But after those few minutes, he got bored, dissolved his claws, and looked around for something better to do, and saw Ivan sitting there by himself. A small grin grew on Gilbert's lips.

"Hey, Ivan," he greeted enthusiastically as he walked up to him. Ivan blinked, surprised that he was actually coming to talk to him, but he wasn't hostile at all.

"Privet," Ivan nodded politely, that happy yet eerie smile on his face. Gilbert didn't speak any Russian, but he assumed that meant "hello" or something. "Can I help you with something?" Ivan asked, a bit puzzled, since no one really willingly comes up to Ivan the "soul bender" just to chat.

"So I hear that you're probably one of the most powerful demon hunters on the campus," Gilbert began, "And that your soul skill is impossible to resist for most mortals."

Ivan nodded, "Only two people in this room can resist it. But no one else I have ever met has ever defeated it. No one else with a soul, da?"

"Well, I want to see for myself," Gilbert flashed him a toothy grin, "I want to see what all the hype's about. I bet I can resist it."

"You...want me to use it on you?" the Russian raised an eyebrow, slightly amused.

"Did I hear you right?" Yong Soo said, bounding over to them, and turning to Gilbert, "You want to try to beat his soul skill?"

"Yep," he nodded, his red eyes gleaming with confidence. He was awesome enough to beat Kim, so why not Ivan?

Yong Soo burst out laughing so hard he had to wipe a tear from his eye. Then he turned to face the rest of the gym, and called, his voice echoing, "Hey guys! Gilbert's challenging Ivan!"

Immediately, everyone dropped what they were doing to look over, many wearing shocked expressions on their faces. Yao came over, as did Francis, Antonio, Kim, Alfred, and practically all of Class A. Even Mr. Adnan looked up from his clipboard.

"Gil! What are you doing?" Francis hissed nervously. "Are you insane?"

"More like suicidal," Arthur snickered.

"Ivan, don't get too carried away," Kim sighed. Ivan nodded.

"You guys have no faith in me!" Gilbert accused, annoyed.

"Good luck, you're gonna need it," chortled Alfred.

"Please don't make him do anything too embarrassing," Yao frowned, his request directed at Ivan.

"Da, I'll just keep it simple," he waved off, standing up and cracking his knuckles for effect.

But Gilbert wasn't the least bit scared. He could handle this. "Bring it," he smirked, standing up straight, his arms akimbo.

Ivan chuckled, "Brace yourself, comrade."

* * *

From the Author: :) I have to admit I really enjoyed typing this chapter up, this story comes very easily to me and my imagination! So I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!

Elizaveta is Hungary and Roderich is Austria.

What did you guys think? I'd love to hear from you guys!

Just wanted to say thanks for your precious time and thanks for reading, favoriting, alerting, and reviewing! Your guys' reviews have genuinely touched my heart, so I really appreciate all of your kind words so much! Thanks again and until next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of hetalia!

From the Author: I just want to say, if this fic was like a show or something, and I could pick any song for the opening credits, I'd pick the song "Last of the Wilds" by Nightwish. :) You can Youtube it. There's even a Prussia character tribute using that song. I think it sets the mood perfectly. Anyways, enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

Gilbert could do this. No matter how strong Ivan's soul skill was, he could take anything this demon hunting thing could throw at him. He had survived Illedris's crazy drills and even beat the odds by defeating Kim yesterday, so one more challenge would be nothing. If anyone could, then he could.

Or so he thought.

"Alright, comrade," Ivan gave a small smile, and suddenly his violent irises began to give off a faint glow. Out of nowhere, Gilbert felt as if an invisible force was pouring inside of his, but not inside of his physical body. More like a wave of dense liquid was surrounding his soul, drowning it out. His chest began to ache for no apparent reason, and his heartbeat sped up out of panic. Kim's soul skill that drained his energy was completely different from something like this. It wasn't like his energy was being taken away, more like his will and everything that made him Gilbert was being turned down, like one would mute the volume of a TV or a radio. A whimper threatened to escape his mouth, but he bit his lip, refusing to show any weakness.

Ivan's glowing eyes seemed delighted, as if he could see Gilbert's inner struggle. "Kneel before me," he commanded, calmly and unwavering.

The force of his words seemed to crash down upon Gilbert like a tidal wave. The dense liquid that seemed to be drowning his soul suddenly contracted, compressing his soul painfully. Gilbert's first impulse was to drop to his knees like Ivan had said, but then he remembered he was supposed to be resisting. He lurched forward, but then caught himself, and used all of his willpower to stand up straight again. But his body wanted to go against his mind, it wanted to dropped to the floor, as if he had been carrying a tremendous weight upon his shoulders. He was able to fight it though, only just, but the pain squeezing his soul became more intense and suffocating.

"I said, _kneel_," Ivan repeated, a little more sternly this time. And the liquid around his soul compressed and constricted even harder, and his soul couldn't take it anymore. It was as if Gilbert's mind totally blanked out, and his will left him entirely. He collapsed to his knees, sweating and breathing heavily.

"Good," Ivan chuckled, and the light in his eyes faded as the contractions around his soul eased up and disappeared altogether. Gilbert's wits returned to him, and he picked himself off the floor, still huffing.

"That was..." Gilbert trailed off, wearily, unsure how to describe what just happened.

"Frightening?" Kim suggested, she herself having endured that experience before.

"Overwhelming?" Arthur recommended, shrugging his shoulders. He too had suffered Ivan's soul skill before.

"Yeah..." Gilbert nodded, wiping the beads of sweat from his brow.

"But it was a nice try, da?" Ivan smirked. "No one's ever willingly went through that before."

"You're bold," Yao agreed, smiling. "I'll give you that, aru."

Then Mr. Adnan came down from the bleachers, chortling silently to himself. "Warm up's over kids. Now that you've all had your little show for the day, let's get down to business." The Turkish man gestured for them to take a seat on the bleachers. "So, for today, I was thinking we could do a two versus two baton match. Since Gilbert and Kim fought yesterday, they get a break for now. Who's turn is it..." He glanced over his clipboard until he came across the name he was looking for. "Alfred! Your turn." Alfred leapt to his feet eagerly with a broad grin. "Pick your opponent."

Alfred's gaze moved over every student on the bleachers, contemplating which one to fight. "Yong Soo."

The Korean chuckled as he stood up excitedly. "Pick your partner, Yong Soo," Mr. Adnan told him, and Yong Soo pointed to Kiku. "Right, now you pick yours, Alfred."

"Arthur," he answered, and Arthur got and sighed.

"Good, Team 1 is Alfred and Arthur, and Team 2 is Yong Soo and Kiku. Looks like Team 2's soul skills won't really help them too much in this fight," Mr. Adnan speculated as he recorded the teams.

"That's alright," Yong Soo waved off, "Kiku and I will just have to fight the old fashion way!" Kiku nodded with a slight smile as he got off the bleachers.

As the four stepped inside the circle, followed by Mr. Adnan, Gilbert asked Francis, "So what's this baton match?"

"The rules from your match yesterday still apply, no maiming, killing, and no stepping out of the circle, and you can use your soul skill," Francis explained, "See that tube thing that Mr. Adnan's holding? Well it's the baton, and on each end of the baton is a button, one green, one red. Team 1's job is to hold down the red button for thirty seconds, while Team 2 has to hold down the green button for thirty seconds. After thirty seconds, the baton will light up that color, like a glow stick, signaling which team won. On the side of the baton in like a little stopwatch thing that counts down how many seconds are left before it lights up. The baton starts out in the center of the circle, to the two teams fight over it so they can get to their button. If you get knocked out of the circle, you're out, and your partner has to continue without you. If both hunters from each team get knocked out, then the other team wins by default. But if you get knocked out holding the baton, then the other team automatically gets the win."

"Oh, sounds fun!" Gilbert exclaimed excitedly, wishing he was participating this time, but he also wanted to see how the four would do against each other. As Mr. Adnan set the baton in the middle of the chalked circle, Team 1, Alfred and Arthur, and Team 2, Yong Soo and Kiku, went to opposite ends of the circle.

Meanwhile, Antonio whispered to Francis, "I bet Yong Soo and Kiku will have this one in the bag."

Francis glanced at him, surprised, "No way, mon ami! Their soul skills won't even be any good against Alfred and Arthur's soul projection. Ten bucks says Team 1."

"You're on," Antonio grinned, "My money's on Team 2."

"Alright, we have a bet," Francis chuckled, shaking hands with the Spaniard. Kim, who was sitting behind Francis, seemed to have heard the two, and flicked them both on the back of the head lightly.

"Don't bet on them! That's wrong," she chided, folding her arms across her chest.

Francis laughed, "Don't give us that, mon cher, you're wondering who's going to win too, I can see you calculating it in your head." Kim rolled her eyes, but didn't protest, to Gilbert's amusement.

"Oh, Kim, can you cheer for Yong Soo? Then he'll work harder to try and show off for you and I can win ten bucks!" Antonio chortled.

"Wait, is Yong Soo your boyfriend?" Gilbert asked, raising an eyebrow at Kim curiously.

"N-no!" she stammered, blushing and looking away quickly. "He's not my boyfriend, not at all."

"They both have a huge thing for each other, but none of them will admit it first," Francis whispered in Gilbert's ear. Kim guessed what he had said and muttered under her breath, "Whatever."

When Mr. Adnan had returned to the bleachers, he held up the whistle, indicating the match was about to being. On the left side of the circle, Alfred tensed, ready to sprint for the baton at the center, while Arthur held out his hands in front of him, focusing his soul energy, as Yong Soo bent to the ground, like a track athlete getting into a starting position just before a race, and Kiku leaned forward, but kept his foot on the boundary line. Mr. Adnan put the whistle to his lips, and the high-pitched sound started the match.

Kiku and Yong Soo broke into a sprint on cue, but Arthur already had a plan of attack. The Brit's soul skill was an incredible sight to see, Gilbert had to give him credit. Radiant green spheres of pure energy the size of cannon balls shot out from the palms of his hands, flying towards his opponents with tremendous velocity. Team 2 seemed to have anticipated this, and Kiku and Yong Soo jumped out of the way at the last second, unscathed, and when the energy spheres collided with the ground, they seemed to burst, much like a water balloon does when it hits something, fizzling out with sparks before fading away completely.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Francis mused, seeing the stunned look on Gilbert's face. "Arthur's restraining himself right now. On full blast, his soul projection can really detonate with more combustion, but since that's too dangerous, he tones it down for school matches."

Team 2 was forced to avoid the blasts, giving Alfred the time to scoop up the baton in his own hands. With a grin on his face, he pressed down on the red button, and the timer on the side of the baton started, counting down from thirty seconds. Kiku was on him in a flash, however, assailing Alfred in a flurry of quick jabs and strikes, forcing him to keep jumping back if he wanted to maintain one hand on the baton. Yong Soo was about to enter the fight to help his partner, but Arthur kept firing his luminescent green energy balls, and Yong Soo had to stay vigilant and light on his toes if he wanted to evade them all. One wrong move and he would be blasted out of the ring. Sweat beaded Yong Soo's forehead, but he didn't try to engage Arthur, just dodge his attacks and move closer to Kiku and Alfred.

Kiku was having a bit more luck than Yong Soo, and he managed to land a solid blow on Alfred's shoulder, and while his opponent was off balance, Kiku spun around and drove the heel of his foot into Alfred's chest, knocking him on his bottom. The baton spun out of Alfred's grasp, skittering on the ground. Kiku started for the baton, its timer returned back to "0:00" seconds, but Alfred wasn't done just yet. He grabbed Kiku's ankle, and yanked it towards him, causing Kiku to fall on his stomach.

Meanwhile, Arthur had reached the baton first, picking it up and pressing the red button immediately. But with one hand holding the baton, Arthur's defenses were cut in half, since only one hand was free to discharge his soul energy. Now Yong Soo had the upper hand, being fast enough to avoid his blasts while darting towards the Brit. The more distance Yong Soo closed between them, the bigger his grin grew. Soon, Yong Soo was able to come within range to engage him in close combat. The Korean sprung up into the air, and came back down at Arthur with an axe kick, and Arthur was a second too late getting out of the way. Yong Soo's heel connected with his left shoulder, but he didn't stop there. With both feet now on the ground, he slammed the palm of his hand into Arthur's solar plexus, near the base of his sternum. Arthur managed to stay on his feet, enduring the blows, still pressing down on the button. The timer read "0:10" seconds remaining before Team 1 won the match.

Realizing he didn't have much time left, Yong Soo lunged for Arthur's right hand, the one holding the baton, and ended up latching onto to his arm, and the two tumbled to the ground. Yong Soo was able to wrench the baton out of Arthur's grasp as they wrestled on the ground. But now that Arthur had both hands free again, he blasted Yong Soo off of him. The Korean was sent flying upward a good ten feet upon impact of Arthur's attack, but was able to keep hold of the baton as he landed on his back, his own thumb pressing on the green button. This time Alfred wanted to go aid his teammate, but Kiku stood in his way.

Alfred decided to take it up a notch, and use his soul skill for once. His soul skill was complicated, and even he didn't know all he was capable of, since no one could decide what exactly his skill was. His soul projection was different from Arthur's; he couldn't make energy spheres that shot out from his fingers, but his skill wasn't like Gilbert's soul projection, forming solid weapons, either. Instead, he could summon his soul energy to his hands, and they would give off a slight, faint, bluish glow, but it made his physical speed and anticipation exponentially faster. It made his strikes swifter, and harder as well, but since this was only just a school match, he tried not to hit too hard. Even so, now that his soul skill was in use, Alfred began to outmatch Kiku, who struggling to elude all of his blue-tinged punches while still counterattacking.

Yong Soo scrambled to his feet as Arthur threw more of his energy, a determined expression on the Brit's face. There wasn't much more room for him to run, and Arthur was gaining ground fast. Soon, Arthur had forced Yong Soo to back away to the edge of the chalked circle. Gritting his teeth, Yong Soo tried to bolt away to the left or the right, trying to follow the curve of the circle without stepping out of it, but Arthur threatened to flare his energy whichever way he went, to orbs of pure energy emitting green light in his palms. If Yong Soo was pushed out of the circle holding the baton, then his team would lose automatically. Taking the risk, the Korean shouted, "Kiku! Catch!" and then flung the baton over Arthur's head, towards the middle of the circle, just as he released one of his energy spheres. Yong Soo tumbled out of the ring, rolling with so much momentum from Arthur's attack that he crashed into the first row of bleachers.

Gilbert winced, knowing that must have hurt like hell, but Yong Soo slowly pushed himself up and regained his footing. He was out of the match, however, now that he was outside the circle. "C'mon Kiku!" he shouted, "You can do it!"

As the baton fell back down, Kiku caught sight of it, and then skillfully leapt up as Alfred threw another punch, and then, using Alfred's head as a stepping stone, Kiku was able to snatch the baton in midair. When he landed on his feet with poise, however, he had to face Arthur and Alfred alone. There was no way he could take them both at once, so his only option was to waste time by eluding his opponents. Easier said than done.

Arthur kept blasting his energy balls, and sweat dripped down Kiku's face as he moved to evade them all, and Gilbert thought of him as an acrobatic ninja or something. Meanwhile, Alfred was also giving the Japanese student a hard time, trying to steal the baton with his soul-powered hands whenever he got close. Finally, Team 1 was able to drive Kiku back to the edge of the boundaries, much like Arthur had Yong Soo. Alfred was to his right, and Arthur to his left, trapping him, and the two quickly close off the option of sprinting forward. Alfred was only a few feet away, and Arthur was summoning his energy to his finger tips, shouting, "Just push him out, Al!"

Alfred nodded, and lunged at Kiku, about to football tackle him out of the circle, which would put Team 2 out of the match automatically since Kiku held the baton. But Kiku had just enough time to hit the ground fast, and since Alfred was unable to switch his momentum, he ended up throwing himself out of the circle. And before Arthur to discharge another burst of his soul, Kiku bounced to his feet and darted towards the center of the ring. Arthur released his next attack, and it flew into Kiku's side, knocking him off his feet and sending him rolling towards the chalked boundary. But just before he tumbled out, the baton's time signaled "0:00" seconds and lit up in a soft green light.

"Team 2 wins!" Mr. Adnan announced, recording it on his clipboard.

"Bloody hell, we were so close," Arthur griped. "You should have had him, Al, instead of flinging yourself out of the ring."

"Sorry, dude," Alfred said, scratching the back of his head. "I forgot he was so fast."

"You owe me ten, amigo!" Antonio cheered, smirking at Francis, who sighed. Gilbert laughed and Kim just crossed her arms in disapproval, though she did crack a smile when Team 2 won.

"Way to go, Kiku!" Yong Soo jumped up happily, then clapped his partner on the shoulder as he came over to the bleachers to give Mr. Adnan the baton.

"Alright, now that we have our winners, we're going to run through some techniques for taking on certain kinds of demons," Mr. Adnan told them, and the other students cleared the bleachers.

For the next hour or so, their Turkish instructor went over different methods of attacking different kinds of demons. In fact, Gilbert learned much of this from Illedris already, like how to take a more flexible stance when facing feline demons, and how to utilize the other senses when the demon was a master of camouflage. For demons that had quasi-invincible armor, it was imperative to look for chinks in its armor, namely its eyes and mouth. Of course, however, Illedris could never teach him _everything_.

"Shape-shifting demons are rare," Mr. Adnan informed them, "But they are probably one of the hardest ones to fight. They stay in one form until they have determined their opponent's weakness, then shift into forms that exploit those weaknesses. However, they are the most vulnerable when they are transitioning from one form to another, and that's when you attack."

The rest of the class went on like that, Mr. Adnan giving them bits and pieces of advice concerning a specific type of monster, and making them to drills that worked on combination attacks that were meant to wear their adversaries down, and then rendered them helpless against the final blow. Class eventually was coming to an end for the day, most of the students breathing heavily from practicing so many techniques at such a fast pace. Before he dismissed everybody, Mr. Adnan came up to Gilbert, saying, "You know, your form's really spot on for a newcomer who's been out on their own this whole time. Did you have a martial arts teacher back home?"

"Something like that," Gilbert shrugged off nonchalantly. It wasn't like he could just tell him he was trained by a demon. Though he was feeling a bit smug to know that he was already as good as most of the other Class A students on his first day of class.

"What did you say your last name was?" the Turkish man asked suddenly, tilting his head at Gilbert, as if he were trying to recognize something.

"Beilschmidt," he answered, a bit startled by the question.

Mr. Adnan's eyes widened, "Really? You...you're Siegfried's son, aren't you?"

"How do you know my dad's name?" Gilbert frowned, completely surprised.

"Because I went to school with him here of course!" Mr. Adnan laughed, "I'm surprised he never told you about me. We had a couple of fun assignments together. He was an excellent demon hunter, valedictorian of our class, actually. I always thought it was too bad he gave up the demon hunting life to go marry that mundane girl of his, who I assume is your mother. I never did see him again after he left with her. I'm glad he decided to send his son here! Wow, you don't look anything like him. How is he doing these days?"

Gilbert's mouth fell open in astonishment. For a moment he was stunned into silence. "He...he's dead," Gilbert muttered finally, voice hollow. "Both my parents died when I was four."

Mr. Adnan blinked in shock, and he almost looked taken aback. "They're...that's right, you said you were on your own before came here, how silly of me to forget," he shook his head regretfully, cursing himself for making such a stupid mistake. The other students lingered uneasily, most of them wearing expressions of pity and sympathy.

"My father...was a demon hunter?" Gilbert echoed, astounded. He had had no idea that his father was like him. And suddenly a painful ache sprouted in his heart. He barely got to know his own father, and the only few memories he had of him were hazy, since he was so young when he and Gilbert's mother died in that wretched car crash. Now, more than ever, did he wish they were still alive, still with him. If his father was a demon hunter, then he would have been able to guide Gilbert, and the soul deal would have never had to happen. His father went here, to this school, the Venator Academy, and he was the best at the time. If he were still alive, he could have helped Gilbert, trained him himself, rather than have a demon train him. It's strange to think that his father's death alone drastically changed the course of Gilbert's fate.

"Yes, one of the best to ever graduate from here," Mr. Adnan frowned in concern. He shifted uncomfortably, "I'm sorry for your loss."

Gilbert didn't answer, his eyes unreadable. His emotions inside were all jumbled up, and he honestly didn't know what to think. "Class is over for today," he murmured, clenching his fists, then quickly turned on his heels and headed towards the exit. No one bothered to stop him.

He trudged outside the Gym, unsure of where to go, but knew he had to get out of there. He hated pity. He never gave it, and he never wanted it. Pity never did anyone any good, now did it? Francis and Antonio ran out of the Gym after him, and caught up, disquieted expressions on their faces. "Gilbert, listen," Antonio started, "Don't think that you're alone, okay? Me, Yao, Yong Soo, and Alfred, we're all orphans too."

"Yeah, Class A students stick together," Francis added, trying to cheer him up, "One big family, like Kim says sometimes."

Gilbert still didn't say anything, but he didn't want to spread his downcast feelings around to his friends, so he tried not to look angry or depressed. "I just need some time to think," he murmured after a moment, "I'll meet you at the cafe later, okay?"

Antonio nodded understandingly, "Around six then, okay? Is that enough time?"

"Yeah, sounds good," he answered half-heartedly. Francis and Antonio exchanged glances, then left Gilbert alone, and he continued walking through the school by himself, his thoughts circling. He seemed to be doing a lot of thinking this past couple of days. It was exhausting, since normally he didn't really have to think this hard by himself. Back at his foster home, he didn't really care about school, so he didn't push his brain, and he only ever had to follow Illedris's orders, which didn't require much complicated thought, just a lot of fighting and training. Thinking sucks.

But he couldn't help it. His father had been a demon hunter! How could Gilbert not have known?! It wasn't fair. Why did his parents have to die?! Why did they have to leave him and Ludwig by themselves? Why did they have to leave Gilbert the responsibility of looking after his younger brother? Gilbert was no good with responsibility, as shown by the recklessness that almost cost Ludwig his soul, and did cost Gilbert his all those years ago. He wondered what his father would say to him for making a deal with a demon. For sealing his soul away. He'd be ashamed of Gilbert, wouldn't he?

As his thoughts spiraled deeper into depression, he suddenly found himself walking through the doors of the Venator Academy library, who knows why. Maybe he was subconsciously aware that he needed some peace and quiet, but that was doubtful. What he really needed was a distraction from these awful thoughts. So when he glanced around the room for no apparent reason really, his gaze settled on a table near the back of the large room lined with rows and rows of books. It was hard to see the back of the room, but he did manage to catch sight of her long, light brown hair. His mood picked up in a heartbeat. Distraction. Bingo.

He casually made his way across the room, as if he were browsing through the books and found nothing to his liking. Soon enough, he was standing close enough to Elizaveta's table, but pretended not to notice her. Involuntarily, she looked up from her book, sensing his presence, and regarded him quizzically for a moment. Gilbert met her eyes, and a halfsmile tugged on his lips. He pointed to the chair next to her, "This seat taken?" But he sat down anyway, without waiting for an answer, simply radiating pure awesomeness.

Apparently she was unaffected, because she raised an eyebrow at him, skeptically, "Need something?"

"Nah, I was just wondering what a pretty girl like you is doing in the library all by herself," he flashed her a knowing smile.

"Class B homework," she answered indifferently, as if she took no notice of his awesomeness (what?!), and looked down at her book again. "But you're in Class A, so you wouldn't know."

She was right, Gilbert didn't even realize that demon hunters got homework, aside from assignments. But what he really didn't get, was how the hell she was immune to is awesome charm! Maybe she was just insanely good at playing hard to get, because there was no way she was seriously resisting his damn good looks right now. Back at his old school, he broke dozens of hearts, so why was she so different? Shouldn't she be swooning him right now or something? If there was a scale from one to stunningly attractive, he would have broken it, being a sexy beast and all, and from what he had seen around Venator Academy so far, he definitely outmatched most of the other guys with his charismatic personality. For sure.

While thinking of something smoother to say, Gilbert glanced down at the book she was reading. It was about corrupted souls, how they became evil, and the path to becoming a demon. The book itself must've been written for really advanced students, because he didn't understand half of what it was saying. "You actually understand all that?" he scrunched his brow.

She gave him a funny look, " Yeah, of course I do. This isn't even that hard. You know, all this stuff is going to be on the final exam...And you have to pass the final to stay in the demon hunting program."

"What do you mean? What happens if I fail?" Gilbert was...extremely likely to fail tests that required extensive mental ability.

"It depends. But if you fail, there's no way they'll let you stay in Class A," she shrugged, turning the page.

Well, shit. That wasn't good news for Gilbert.

And out of nowhere, Elizaveta perked up, almost as if a light bulb lit up over her head. "It sounds like...you need a tutor to pass the final exam and stay in Class A...and you're one of the best fighters at the school, I mean, you beat Kim on your first try...and I need someone who can train me to fight well enough to move up to Class A! We can totally help each other out!" she beamed, her eyes alight with optimism.

Gilbert blinked, surprised at her sudden change of attitude. It really was a good plan, a win-win situation. Plus, giving each other lessons would mean spending a lot of time with her..."Well, if you want to learn how to fight," he grinned, winking at her, "then you might as well learn from the best. And I'm the best there is!"

She rolled her eyes, but kept her smile. "So tomorrow, we-" she started, but was cut off when her phone beeped in her pocket. After briefly reading the text message, she stood, saying, "I have to go meet my friend now, but we should meet here again tomorrow after class, okay? We can work out some sort of agreement."

"Sounds good," Gilbert smirked, and Elizaveta gave small nod and left the library. He watched her go, a strange feeling stirring up inside of him. The course of their brief conversation had changed rather abruptly, but Gilbert still couldn't believe she wasn't one bit phased by his awesomeness! Normally, chicks couldn't wait but to get all up on him, but Elizaveta was extremely different. But Gilbert saw her rebuff as a...challenge of sorts. Well then, challenge accepted.

Grinning to himself, he too left the library a few moments after, and decided to go find Francis and Antonio. After about fifteen minutes ambling through the campus, he found them messing around on a bench, checking out girls that passed by. They scooted over to give him room on the bench when they saw him, glad to see Gilbert wasn't sulking anymore.

"_Oye_," Antonio chuckled pointing to a girl who was just out of earshot, "It's the girl that doesn't fall for your French tricks, Francis!"

His interest piqued, Gilbert followed Antonio' finger to a girl with lightly-tanned skin, with golden brown eyes and long, dark brown hair tied into two pigtails adorned with big red ribbons. She was talking with some of her other friends, laughing at something one of them had said. She was definitely the prettiest of the group of girls, her lineaments standing out amongst them. "Who's that?"

"Francis's crush," Antonio smiled broadly, while Francis appeared to have flushed. "Michelle, she's a mundane mortal, but you'd think she was a demon hunter from her resolute personality. I always have to remind myself not to mention anything about demon hunting with her."

"Resolute?" Francis echoed, raising an eyebrow, "I'd say passionate, or fierce. She's not like any of the other girls I've met, especially for a mundane." His voice became dreamy and wistful.

"So why aren't you going out with her already?" Gilbert asked, suppressing a smirk. He realized then, that the three of them were probably the most erotic, voluptuous guys on the campus. They really did make quite the sexy trio, didn't they? All three of them could go out with whoever they wanted!

"She's...too much," Francis sighed, unsure how to voice his thoughts.

Antonio frowned slightly, "And because she's a mundane...it complicates things."

"Why does that matter?" Gilbert tilted his head, puzzled.

"I mean, if Francis was only in it for, you know, her body, then it wouldn't really matter. But a real relationship wouldn't work. Our secret would get out," Antonio explained sadly.

"No it wouldn't. We're demon hunters! We're like, masters of secret-keeping!" Gilbert protested.

"Toni's right," Francis shook his head. "It's like an unspoken rule, especially for Class A. We can have fun with mundanes, but we can't endanger our secrets. Exposing what we are also puts them in danger."

"Well, I think it's stupid," the albino huffed. Antonio changed the subject, but Gilbert still fumed over such an idiotic rule. If he wanted to date a mundane girl, then nothing would stop him. If anyone could keep a secret, it was him. Gilbert really had kept his secret from Ludwig all these years, and he had kept his soul deal a secret from the whole Venator Academy.

The trio spent the rest of the evening blustering around the campus, exchanging weird stories about past girlfriends, and Gilbert couldn't help but notice how more than just a few girls were looking them up and down with hungry eyes. Time flew by after that, and Gilbert had almost forgotten all about his parents. Almost.

When he finally returned to his dorm, Ludwig was jotting down notes from a textbook, and Gilbert was tempted to tell him that their father attended the academy, but decided against it. That might just lead to more questions he'd have to dodge, and that didn't sound fun. One o'clock rolled around, and Ludwig had just fallen fast asleep, and Gilbert lay awake, head resting on his arms on the bed, trying to imagine his father killing demons and leaving it all behind for his mom.

Just before Gilbert's eyes could get heavy, a familiar stinging pain shot through his body, its epicenter at the Ouroboros Mark on his back. And suddenly dread crept into his soul. Damn, he really did not want to talk to her right now. It was the last thing he needed. But when the stinging began to turn into a burn, he sighed and sat up. The Ouroboros Mark only felt like that when Illedris had something really important to say, and he couldn't ignore it.

Her wish was his command, after all.

* * *

From the Author: Thanks so much for reading! A lot of things happened in this chapter, since it was mostly a set up. But at least I got to put in a little action in the beginning.

Btw, Karpusi is Greece, Siegfried is Germania. Adnan is Turkey. Michelle is Seychelles.

Anyways, reviews would be nice ;) And thanks so much for your time! I can't wait to type up the next chapter for you guys, so hopefully you won't have to wait too long for the next chap!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Do not own Hetalia!

* * *

Sneaking out of the dorms was easy, and Gilbert was able to skulk through the campus grounds no problem. Apparently curfew was more a threat only if teachers caught the student out of bed, but Gilbert didn't once see any teachers on the cobble pathways. He did see some students though, just messing around in the dark with their friends, or maybe doing some scandalous things with their girlfriends and boyfriends. The old-fashion street lamps still lit the paths, but Gilbert didn't even worry about being seen. Honestly, he didn't think anyone would be out and about at this time of night, so he only threw on some loose jeans a thin blue jacket, not even bothering with a shirt underneath it. The Ouroboros Mark still stung on his back, telling him to hurry up already.

Finally, he came to the edge of the Venator Academy campus, surprised to see that the entire school was surrounded by a stone wall about twenty-five feet tall, and probably seven feet thick. The main entrance was a wrought ironwork gate, as tall as the rest of the wall, with pointed barbs at the top. The gate was locked shut, so Gilbert knew it would be easier to climb over a portion of the stone wall if he wanted to get to the other side. At first he wondered why the wall itself was there, to keep the students locked in or something? No...it must have been there to keep unwanted monster out, he realized, since there was an unusual amount of demon hunters and mundane mortals in one spot, and apparently demon hunters had some tasty souls. But no demon would ever dare come to a place so concentrated with individuals trained to kill them. The wall was probably just an extra precautionary, but it didn't stop Gilbert from getting to the forest on the other side.

He manifested a long rope with a grappling hook at the end, using his soul skill, and then twirled it to gain momentum before releasing it upward, and the metal hook caught the top of the wall. From there, it wasn't much of a challenge to scale the stone wall, and once he had reached the top, he swung his legs over and let go of his rope, which disintegrated into that dust-like substance. After leaping off the wall, he landed on his feet, then absently brushed off his jacket and ran his hand through his hair that stunningly caught the moonlight. The Ouroboros Mark began to burn a little hotter, making Gilbert sigh, then jog forward into the dense woods that surrounded the Academy.

Gilbert had no idea where Illedris would be, or how she found the Academy in the first place for that matter. But if she was here, and if she did want to talk to him that badly, then she would be quite a ways from the campus boundaries. Even as great of a demon as she was, she wouldn't risk being caught by other hunters so close to the school. He jogged at a decent pace for about three miles, the tall trees rising up in the darkness all around him, the hooting of owls and the chirping of crickets coming from ever which direction. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he would run into any grizzly bears or even bobcats, which would have been cool, but sadly, no creatures of interest crossed his path.

Finally, he had reached a point in the dark forest when his Mark stopped stinging, signaling that his destination was near. Coming to a stop, he looked around, and saw that a little ways in front of him sat a glass jar on the forest floor, a jar that glowed faintly, illuminating the area around it dimly. When he went to go take a closer look, he saw that the jar was actually filled with fireflies, frantically flying behind the glass, trying to find a way out. Suddenly, smoke began to rise from the grassy ground around the jar, until enough of it had billowed out to take the shape of a young woman, with pitch-black hair and blood-red lips that leered at Gilbert maliciously, like they always did.

"Do you like the fireflies? I had enough time to catch them so you could see in this dark forest when you got here, since you were obviously taking your sweet time again," Illedris drawled, a tinge of annoyance in her voice again. The way her demon eyes caught the dim light of the fireflies made them look even more mischievous on this particular night.

"Well, I don't have demon powers to teleport me from place to place like you do," Gilbert rolled his eyes with a smirk.

"Just run faster next time," she chided, then got right to the point, "So, how was the Academy? Did you integrate yourself into the system yet?"

"Calm down," Gilbert reassured, "I fit right in. Won my fight on the first day and they stuck me in the highest demon hunting class. I'm just that awesome!"

Illedris laughed at this, "Actually, it was my training that landed you a spot in that class. Without my help, you wouldn't have stood a chance."

It was hard for Gilbert to refute that comment, since it was mostly true. "A lot of the stuff they're teaching you already taught me," h admitted with a slight frown, "But there is some stuff you never told me."

"Like what?"

"Like about soul energy and tainted souls."

"All those technical terms are a waste of time," Illedris waved off, "I taught all you need to know to carry out your work efficiently and with deadly precision. Anyway, you haven't blown your cover yet, have you?" She narrowed her eyes at him skeptically.

"Of course not," he huffed indignantly, though in the back of his mind he thought about how Kiku regarded him as a tainted soul at first. "I'd never screw up that bad. When have I, the awesome Gilbert Beilschmidt, ever failed to carry out an order?" he added in exasperation.

"I can recall several occasions," Illedris scoffed, "Like that one time I sent you to take care of those demon wolves. If I remember correctly, when you finally found them, you ran away screaming, and I had to intervene to stop them from tearing your throat out."

"I was ten!" Gilbert argued, refusing to let his cheeks grow red, "And you said to take care of a wolf demon, not six all at once!"

"If you had used your common sense, you'd have known that wolves travel in packs," she retorted.

"Not lone wolves. And the only weapons I had in my inventory back then were knives and daggers. How was supposed to kill six demon wolves with a kitchen knife? Your order was insane."

"Say what you will," she chuckled, "It won't change the fact that you wet your pants that night."

"That did not happen," Gilbert muttered.

"Back to business," Illedris said, "Are you one of the top ranking hunters?"

Gilbert thought about this for a moment, "I'd say so. But I'm not the strongest hunter, to be completely honest."

"Who are the highest ranking hunters?" Illedris asked, no, more like demanded. The Ouroboros Mark felt hot on his back, and Gilbert knew this was more than a curious question, it was an order, meaning he was obligated to answer truthfully. To leave anything out would be against the soul deal.

"Kim's the Class A strategist, but I beat her on the first day," Gilbert replied matter-of-factly, leaning back on a tree. "Arthur's pretty strong, he can regenerate his soul quickly and shoot these energy balls. Alfred's up there, but no one knows his real power, not even him."

"Not even him?" Illedris echoed, puzzled.

Gilbert shrugged, then continued, "Ivan...now he's a scary guy. He can control others' souls."

"Really now?" Illedris chuckled, "That's a nice trick against a mortal, but against a demon it's useless."

"Then there's Yao, a healer, and Kiku, a tracker. Natalya's got deadly accuracy, and..." Gilbert furrowed his brow, trying to remember who he was missing.

"And?" Illedris prompted.

"Yong Soo has a soul shell," he finished.

"A soul shell?" she mused, "Now that could be a problem. But just because a demon can't touch his soul doesn't mean a demon can't kill him. That Alfred boy you were talking about...you don't know his soul skill?"

"No, not even the teachers know. When he summons his energy his strength and speed intensify, and he can perform some weird type of soul projection. Apparently no one's ever seen a demon hunter like him before," Gilbert said nonchalantly, wondering why it was so important to her.

"Hmm...reminds me of a rumor I heard..."she trailed off in deep thought.

"Rumor?"

"Just something I heard along the wind, but I don't believe it," she said vaguely, then changed the subject, "Anyways, I have something for you."

Gilbert straightened up, surprised, "_You_ got a present for _me_? Is the world ending or something? Or are you trying to grow your own soul?" His candor dripped of sarcasm, though he was thoroughly interested in what she could have possible gotten for him.

"Don't be so absurd," Illedris snapped, but then held out her empty palm. Gilbert was about to point out that there was nothing there, when suddenly a cloud of smoke began to condense in her palm. It began to take the shape of a bird, with beady red eyes and black feathers. A raven. "This is one of my pets from the Underworld. I want you to take him with you into the school, and that's an order. His demon essence is so small it won't be noticeable to any mortal. Not even demon hunters will realize he's not an ordinary raven."

The black raven stretched its wings, and cawed softly. Gilbert frowned. "A raven? He's too suspicious-looking. Ravens aren't exactly birds that make people think cheery thoughts. Why the hell would I bring a raven into the school? How would I explain that one?"

The raven cawed louder, offended. Illedris thought about this. Then she whispered something to the bird, which seemed to give her a slight nod, before returning to a cloud of dense smoke. The cloud began to form into a different species, this time appearing as a yellow, round chick that stared up at Gilbert with pure cuteness. The chick chirped happily, then flapped its adorable wings and landed on Gilbert's head.

"...He's so awesome!" Gilbert whooped, immediately taking to the chick's new transformation. "I'm going to call him Gilbird."

"...Gilbird? Really?" Illedris raised an eyebrow. "He has a demon name, but I suppose it won't do in the Academy."

"Then Gilbird works! Hell yeah," Gilbert chuckled as the yellow bird chirped again.

"He's a demon pet, so don't forget that. He's born of smoke from the Underworld, much like I was. He can shape-shift and control smoke around him like I can. I don't have any more use for him, so I'm giving him to you so you don't get too carried away with the school, and in case you need a little extra help," she said as Gilbert held the bird in his palm, admiring him. "Gilbert, are you listening?!" she hissed, startling him.

"'Course I am," he grinned, placing the bird back on top of his head.

"I have one final command for tonight," she said seriously, "I want you to continue attending the Academy as a normal student until I call you again through the Mark. Gain their trust, learn their secrets. But," she paused, her gaze growing stone cold, sending shivers down Gilbert's spine, "if you reveal any connection to me to anyone...the soul deal will be broken." She regarded him with a steely look on her face.

Gilbert gritted his teeth, and Gilbird tried to hide himself from Illedris's gaze under his white hair. "I get it," he murmured.

Illedris leered again, flashing her sharp teeth. She drifted closer to Gilbert, who grew rigid as she slid down part of his blue jacket, exposing his shoulder and the Ouroboros Mark above his shoulder blade. Her icy finger glided over the Mark, and Gilbert didn't dare move a muscle as she spoke with a haunting grin. "Need I remind you what will happen if you break the deal? Not only will the Mark burn through your soul, but if you tell anyone about our little secret arrangement, I'm entitled to devour your brother's soul. His delectable soul will be mine to consume. That was our deal, was it not?"

"I know," Gilbert said bitterly, "There's no way I'll let you eat his soul. The deal is final. I won't be the one to break it."

"Then you will serve me, until you pass through Death's Doors, and perhaps even after," Illedris chuckled, her form fading into transparent smoke as she did so. Soon the smoke dissolve completely, and the she demon was gone.

Gilbert clenched his fists in animosity. "I...I hate her so much..." he spat, but he knew how hopeless he really sounded. His soul didn't belong to him anymore, and there was no way he could get it back without forfeiting Ludwig's.

Gilbird chirped sadly, then fluttered down to Gilbert's shoulder, ad nuzzled up against the albino's cheek, trying to cheer him up. "Thanks, little guy," he murmured softly, "You don't like her either, do you?"

Gilbird chirped once more, with a sad note, and shook his round body, which Gilbert took as a "no."

"I guess we're both bound to her, like slaves in chains," he sighed in melancholy. "But...at least Luddy's still alive."

* * *

It was probably around 2:45 in the morning when Gilbert returned to the stone wall that surrounded the Venator Academy. He used the rope and the grappling hook again, and once he was over, he trudged back towards his dorm, feeling like utter, useless crap. Gilbird sat on his head, also sulking.

He was about to head straight for his dorm, when he heard something coming from his left. He stopped, blinked, and then listened. It was...someone singing, a girl. Mystified, Gilbert followed the sound of her voice, until he found himself standing in front of the Academy's library. The song was definitely coming from above him now, so he guessed whoever was singing must have been on the roof. He wondered how she got up there without using a grappling hook, when his eyes found the fire escape. Swiftly and nimbly, he climbed the fire escape with ease, the voice growing louder the closer he got. But when he finally heaved himself up to the roof, he heard not only her voice, but now he could hear a piano playing disheartened, nostalgic notes. He looked around, but there was no piano in sight. There was only a girl standing on the other side of the roof, staring up at the moon, unaware Gilbert was even there. She was the one singing, he realized, and for a while, he stood there, enchanted, listening to her heartrending song.

"_I'm so tired of being here  
Suppressed by all my childish fears  
And if you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave  
'Cause your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me alone."_

Her voice was terribly sad, but extremely moving. Complex thoughts disappeared from Gilbert's mind, and he was only filled with pure emotion, as the music itself seem to surround him.

_"These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase."_

She sang as if her heart was on the verge of shattering, yet she sang so smoothly and naturally, it was awfully beautiful and miserably touching.

"_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me_.

_You used to captivate me  
By your resonating light  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind  
Your face it haunts  
My once pleasant dreams  
Your voice it chased away  
All the sanity in me." _

Gilbert closed his eyes, enveloped completely in the song, ceasing to let anything else occupy his thoughts. Soon, she came to the final verses, each note filled with sorrow and longing.

_"I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone  
But though you're still with me  
I've been alone all along._

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me." _

When she finished singing, Gilbert snapped out of the trance that her song had put him in. The piano had stopped, and when he took a step forward, she turned, startled, towards him. "H-hello," she greeted, surprised. The girl was probably in Gilbert's grade, with long, brown hair, and a wild, curly stranding sticking out from the top of her head. She wore a traditional pink qipao over a long white skirt.

"You have an awesome voice," he told her, a perplexed look on his face. "Where did the piano come from?"

The girl giggled softly, but it was then that Gilbert realized her cheeks were tear-streaked, as if she had just been crying. "So you heard the piano? It means you have a soul that was in sync with my emotions."

"...Are you...?" Gilbert started, unsure how to ask if she was mundane or not.

"I'm soul-skilled," the girl nodded, "I can sing songs that sway the souls around me. It's not a very useful trick for a demon hunter, but it can powerful in its own way. I'm Mei, by the way. Class B. You're Gilbert, right? I saw your match with Kim."

"Yeah that's me," Gilbert nodded, walked over to her to properly introduce himself. "What did you mean 'in sync with your emotions?'"

"When I sang that song, I was feeling sad, and well, hopeless. Isn't that how you felt?" she inquired.

"Y-yeah."

"That's why you heard the piano. It's melody actually came from my soul, but only those in sync can hear it," Mei explained.

" Why are you out here so late? Breaking curfew?" Gilbert asked curiously. What he really wanted to know was why she was crying, but he didn't want to pry right now in such a sensitive situation, especially if she was upset.

She didn't answer at first, then whispered, tears springing into her eyes again, "Today's his birthday." A tear escaped her eye.

"Are-are you okay?" he ventured, biting his lip. He didn't know how to deal with crying girls...

She nodded her head, but she was evidently not okay. She turned back to the moon, and gazed at it for a moment, recomposing herself. Finally, she murmured, "Tao would have been sixteen today."

Tao...that was Yao's younger brother, wasn't it? The one who fell into the strange coma about a year ago. So that's who she was singing about...that's why she felt sad and hopeless. She must've been his girlfriend or something.

"What...what happened to him?" Gilbert asked, looking up at the night sky like she did. The stars twinkled around the full moon.

Mei sighed, and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "No one actually knows. Tao...went on an assignment last year. He had a...very peculiar soul skill. His soul could leave his physical body and travel on its own."

"Travel on its own?"

"Yes. It's actually quite useful for scouting missions, since his soul would be invisible to mortals, and he went on a lot of assignments that require stealth and incognito work. It's kind of like his spirit leaves his body, his friends even used to call him 'ghost' sometimes. When his soul and consciousness leaves, his body just acts like he's asleep. That was always the downside of his skill, his body was so vulnerable while his soul was away. The hunters always station someone to protect him on assignments whenever he has to use his skill. But when he took his last assignment, a scouting mission in the city...his soul never came back."

"Do you...think it was eaten by a demon?" he asked, shocked.

"...I don't think so," she shook her head slightly, "His body is still alive, still breathing, heart still beating. If his soul was devoured, he would die. But we don't know where his soul is. Kiku was the only who could look for it, and he searched for days without any rest, but his soul was gone."

"But if he's not dead, then there's still hope! All we have to do is find it," Gilbert affirmed, and Gilbird chirped in agreement.

"The only one of us who can find him is Kiku, but his soul could be anywhere in the world right now," Mei sniffed.

"You can't just give up on him," he said firmly, "He's out there somewhere, and I'm sure he's trying to get back here too. I don't think he'd want you to be like this, Mei. You gotta keep searching! I'll tell you what, whenever the opportunity arises on an assignment or something, I'll help find him."

"You...you will?" she blinked, and the tears began to stop.

"Sure thing. He couldn't have just disappeared without a trace. The trick is to ask around, but you got to ask the right people," Gilbert grinned, trying to be optimistic for her. He really did want to help her, and Yao as well. And he wasn't one to give up so easily. They'd find Tao's soul some day, he was sure of it.

* * *

The next morning, by 8:00, all the Class A students were settling into their desks, and Mr. Karpusi had just finished writing a question on the board. "I want you all to read this warm up question, and pick the right answer, but don't say it out loud, because once everyone's done we're going to have a short discussion on it first," he said, stepping away from the board so everyone could see. It read:

Suppose you are traveling alone on a road leading to a village about a mile away, but up ahead there is a demon attack two other mundane travelers. The demon is definitely too strong and powerful for you to handle, and you know that as soon as it has devoured their souls, it will attack the village of women and children. What do you do?

a) Head toward the village immediately and evacuate everybody, then retreat back to the Academy to report the rogue demon.

b) Call the Academy for help right away, and then meet the demon halfway to buy enough time for help to arrive.

c) Head toward the village to evacuate, then face the demon in the vacant village.

Gilbert read the question three times, then scratched his head, perplexed. After a few moments, Mr. Karpusi cleared his throat. "Everybody done? Alright, who wants to tell me their answer first?" No one piped up, making him sigh. "Alright, if no one wants to volunteer then I'll have to start calling on people. Arthur, what did you get?"

The Brit sat up, frowning at the fact he was called on. "C. Go to the village, evacuate it, then face the demon."

Mr. Karpusi looked around the room, asking, "Who else got that answer?" Ivan, Antonio, and Francis all raised their hands in agreement. "Okay," he continued, who answered B?" Kim, Yao, Kiku and Natalya raised their hands. "And who got A?" No one raised their hands. Mr. Karpusi looked around the room, frowning. "Gilbert, Alfred, Yong Soo, the three of you didn't answer at all. How come?" He was looking Gilbert's way, so the albino answered for all three of them.

" I don't think there's a right answer up there."

"No, it's up there," Mr. Karpusi furrowed his brow.

"Then which one is it?" Alfred asked.

"The correct answer is A," Mr. Karpusi answered, shocking the rest of the class.

"But, sir, you'd have us retreat?" Kim asked, alarmed.

"That would be cowardly," Arthur protested.

"I wouldn't run away so easily," Ivan objected.

"Option B is wrong because it would take too long for help to arrive if you met the demon and faced it halfway. The demon would surely outmatch you and then move on to the village. The question specifically states that the demon is too powerful. Option C would save the village, but as a consequence, the demon would kill you, and then probably move on to another village or go after the refugees. Option A ensures that the villagers live and so do you, so that you can inform the Academy to form a more prepared team to track down the rogue demon," their instructor explained.

"If that's are the reasoning, then I chose option D," Gilbert said as he folded his arms over his chest.

"Option D?"

"In all three of those options, the two travelers die. If I saw two people getting attacked on the road, I wouldn't think twice before trying to save them! Every life counts," Gilbert asserted confidently.

"I'm with Gil," Alfred agreed, "I was wondering how you all could forget about the travelers and let them die."

"If you did that, then you would surely die and then the travelers would too, and the village wouldn't get evacuated. Everyone would be dead," Mr. Karpusi shook his head. "Remember, it says the demon is too powerful."

"If a demon is stupid enough to attack people in the middle of a road where it can be seen, then I say it's not a problem. Even if it was too strong, the best thing I can think of is to grab its attention and lead it away from the travelers and the village. Then only one person dies," Gilbert suggested. Alfred gave him a thumbs up approval of that plan, Antonio and Francis nodded in concurrence, and even Kim and Arthur looked impressed.

"That is a reckless notion-" Mr. Karpusi started, but then Yong Soo cut him off brusquely.

"Gilbert's right. It's not the stupid demons that attack in public we have to worry about. It's the clever, twisted ones that commit the worst atrocities. They're the harder ones to kill." Yong Soo's voice was so soaked in rancor and hatred that it shocked everybody into silence for a moment. Gilbert didn't even think that Yong Soo, who was usually upbeat and lighthearted, could talk so forebodingly with such an angry scowl on his face. "I'm sorry, sir," he said finally, though he didn't sound at all sorry. Abruptly he got out of his seat and stormed out of the room.

Mr. Karpusi put his hand to his forehead regretfully. "Yao, can you...?" Yao nodded, and hurried after him. "Take him to Alice. Ask her to brew him a tranquil potion to calm his soul down," he called after him, and Yao nodded before rushing out the door. Then Mr. Karpusi turned towards the rest of Class A, "Why don't we take a five minute break..."

While their instructor was erasing the controversial question off the board, Gilbert turned to Antonio and Francis. "What was that all about?"

"Yong Soo's not normally like that," Antonio frowned. "But sometimes he can't control his emotions. No one blames him for it, though."

"What happened to make him so angry?" Gilbert inquired.

"When he was little, a demon captured his family. It wasn't...it wasn't an ordinary demon, if that makes any sense," Francis said sadly, "The demon didn't just want to eat their souls, but it wanted to play with its food before it ate. It tortured his parents and his sister and then ripped their souls out before Yong Soo's eyes. It tried to torment Yong Soo's soul too, but he has a soul shell, and the demon couldn't touch it. Yong Soo manage to escape, and some Academy demon hunters found him living on the streets and took him in."

"Holy shit..." was all Gilbert could utter.

"He got better after a while," Antonio added, "And he became cheerful again, but ever since Tao fell into the coma, he gets really angry sometimes. Tao was his best friend. He nearly lost it when he found out what happened to him."

Gilbert was about to say something, but Mr. Karpusi resumed class again. Gilbert didn't pay any attention though. All he could think about was Yong Soo's story. It was...it was absolutely, horrendously unspeakable. Yong Soo was forced to watch both his parents and sister die terrible deaths. Illedris had almost killed Ludwig before him, but Gilbert had stopped her at the last moment by offering his own soul. If she had killed him, Gilbert wasn't too sure he would have been able to live with that memory. To make matters worse for Yong Soo, Tao's soul had vanished, adding to the crushing devastation.

When the lesson finally came to a close and the bell rang, the Class A students began heading towards the Hunter's Gym, but Mr. Karpusi called for Gilbert and Natalya to stay behind for a moment. He was about to say something, when Yong Soo returned, trudging into the room with a weary expression on his face. "You're back," Mr. Karpusi blinked.

"Yeah...Yao made me come back to apologize," Yong Soo sighed, "Sorry. I mean it this time."

"It's fine," Mr. Karpusi nodded, "And it's a good thing you came back, since I have an assignment for the three of you."

"Three of us?" Natalya repeated, "Assignments are normally done in pairs for Class A."

"This isn't an ordinary assignment. And besides, it's Gilbert's first one, so I decided it would be best to give this one to a trio instead."

"So what's the assignment?" Yong Soo asked, perking up.

"There's a demon acting up in the Highland woods in the North. But it's not a minor demon like the past few assignments were. This one even has a name, Metus."

"What's the big deal with demons with names?" Gilbert tilted his head, confused.

"Powerful demons have memorable names that follow their reputation," Natalya answered curtly, as if it were obvious. "Minor demons aren't important enough to have names. Only major demons."

In the back of his mind, Gilbert thought of Illedris. She had a name.

Mr. Karpusi nodded, "Metus is a demon of fear. He won't be easy to kill. In fact, he's very dangerous, which is why I put three hunters on this task. He's going to be...one of those clever demons you were talking about..." He glanced uneasily at Yong Soo, wondering if the Korean was ready to handle this.

To his relief, Yong Soo grinned. "Perfect. I was getting bored of the easy ones, da ze!"

Mr. Karpusi nodded. "The three of you must report here at 7:30 a.m. sharp to formally receive the assignment. That is, if you accept."

"I accept," Natalya nodded.

"Count me in," Yong Soo made a fist in the air, his mood amazingly uplifted with this news.

"Demon of fear, huh?" Gilbert smirked. "Well, I'm not afraid of anything. No way I'm backing out of this one!"

* * *

From the Author: This chapter was more of a set up chapter, but I promise there'll be action coming up soon!

Mei is Taiwan, Tao is Hong Kong, and Gilbird is, well, Gilbird.  
Metus is the Latin word for fear. And I do not own the lyrics to My Immortal by Evanescence.

And a big thank you to allison-emerson for make the cover image for me! You can find her on dA to see a bigger version of the picture of Illedris and Gilbert.

I'm sure by now many of you readers can guess Illedris's plan, and if you'd like to tell me any predictions, I'd love to hear em! Though I can promise you a few startling twists in this plot!

Thanks again for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Hetalia.

* * *

"So you want to learn how to fight better, huh? Well, you couldn't have asked for a better teacher," Gilbert chuckled. Elizaveta gave him a wary look, forcing herself to tolerate his arrogance. "I can fit in one lesson today before I leave for my assignment tomorrow morning." School had just gotten out for the day, and Gilbert kept his promise by meeting Elizaveta in the library to talk about her training and his tutoring.

"I can't believe you got a real assignment already!" she huffed indignantly, "A major demon on your first week?!"

"Oh please," Gilbert smirked, "I've been slaying demons since I was ten. This school just knows talent when it sees it."

"I've only ever been on fifteen assignments my entire six years at this Academy, and they were only minor demons. And I had four other hunters in my company," Elizaveta grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. She wore a light green tank top with black polyester work-out pants, an outfit especially designed for training. Gilbert wore his thin blue jacket again, with a white T-shirt under, with his own cotton-polyester blend sweatpants. It was a hard outfit to rock, but Gilbert knew he made it look straight up sexy, as usual.

"Really?" Gilbert tilted his head to the side, frowning. Yao gave the impression that Class A students went on assignments every month, and there were only usually two hunters on each one (except on this one, since it was Gilbert's first assignment, there were three).

"Yeah, that's why I have to get into Class A," Elizaveta announced zealously, "I'll be able to go slay more demons, without having to share the glory with four others who just get in the way."

"If you want to test into Class A that bad," he grinned at her knowingly, "then we'd better get started."

"Right," she nodded, "So are we going to train in the Hunter's Gym?"

"Nah, it's too public for my taste. People get nosy, and they might want to learn my tricks. I have a better idea!"

* * *

"We're going off campus?" Elizaveta bit her lip as Gilbert lead her to the wrought ironwork gate, which was wide open during daylight hours.

"Yeah, why? Never been off campus?"

"Of course I have! To go on assignments you have to get off campus," Elizaveta rolled her eyes, "But I've always taken the subway to the next town. No one really goes out into the forest."

"Then why's the gate open?" he threw her a sideways glance.

"In case any visitors need to come and go. Most people don't know that the Academy has its own subway station built it."

"Well, I went into the forest earlier. There's nothing scary or anything. It's actually kind of peaceful," Gilbert shrugged, walking through the gate.

"It's not against rules, I guess," she sighed, and followed after him. "At least not when the sun's out. By nightfall the gate closes and its defenses go up."

"Defenses?" he raised an eyebrow. He didn't remember seeing any defenses last night when he scaled the wall to see Illedris.

"Yeah, if anyone touches the iron gate at night then headmaster will know," she replied casually.

"Oh...what about the wall?"

"At night? Well, if a mortal touches the wall then nothing really happens, but if a demon even gets near it, then the instructors will know right away."

"...Cool," Gilbert answered sheepishly. Good thing he didn't try to hop the gate instead of the wall last night! Damn, he was lucky. "Anyway, I saw this nice clearing where we can train. It's only about a ten minutes away by foot." He had come across that clearing while heading out to find his she demon master, and as he had passed by he noted how perfect it was for this situation.

It didn't take them long to reach the clearing, since Gilbert suggested they jog most of the way as a warm up. When they did arrive, he walked into the middle of the clearing, and took a deep breath of the fresh air. Boy, did he love the wild; it seemed to call to him sometimes. Then he turned to face Elizaveta, saying, "Well, my pupil, let's begin!"

Elizaveta had to stop herself from rolling her eyes again. "Right. What's first?" As a response, Gilbert slid into a fighting stance, red eyes glinting smugly. "W-wait, we're going to fight already?" she stammered, "You haven't even taught me anything yet!"

"Aw, c'mon," Gilbert chuckled, "Experience is the best teacher, as they say. Besides, I need to see what you already know about fighting, what I've got to work with. You do know a thing or two about sparring, right?"

"Of course I do," she frowned, "Class B has their own matches and gym sessions as well, but...you're Class A..."

"I'll go easy on you for this first match," he promised, "And I won't even use my soul skill. Speaking of skills, what's yours? Do you have one?"

Elizaveta nodded. "Yeah. I can suppress my soul, so it's invisible to demons. Not even Kiku can see it...but it's no good when I'm fighting."

"When you're fighting other demon hunters, it's a useless skill," Gilbert agreed, "But when you're fighting demons, it actually sounds pretty helpful."

"Not really," she sighed, "Most demons use their senses too, so even if they can't see my soul, they can still see, hear, or smell me."

"Hmm...I guess we'll just have to work on that," he speculated thoughtfully. "Anyways, let's have our match, so I can see where you're at." Elizaveta nodded, and then slid into her own fighting stance. One high guard to protect her face, one low guard to protect her body, feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent, just like the instructors taught her. Gilbert took a looser, more relaxed position, his fists up by his cheeks, elbows tucked in, remaining light on his feet. A basic stance, much like a boxer's, except not so rigid on the ground, one of the first martial arts stances Illedris had taught him when he was only ten years old.

For a moment, they did nothing but carefully watch the other, waiting for the first strike. Gilbert wasn't going to make the first move, since he wanted to see how she would handle the situation. Realizing that he wasn't going to attack until she did, Elizaveta surged forward with a right punch, followed by a left one. Gilbert easily evaded them both, but chose not to counter just yet. Then she spun around and thrust her foot out, but again failed to strike him. She put her foot down into a another solid stance, and then went on the offensive once more, trying to take advantage of his defensive position, but she could not manage to land a single blow. At one point, she threw a forceful right hook, trying to catch Gilbert across the jaw with her knuckles, but he saw it coming, and crouched down at the last moment, then swung his foot in a circular arch motion, his heel sweeping her feet out from under her.

When she fell on her back with a slight thud, Gilbert stood up straight, running his hand through his hair as if nothing had happened, as if there was never even a fight. He chuckled to himself, and Elizaveta sat up with an irked frown.

"No wonder they won't put you in Class A," he grinned down at her.

"Shut up!" she exclaimed, picking herself off the grassy ground. "Rematch me. I'll get you this time."

"Rematch?" Gilbert frowned this time, "What if I was a demon? I would have killed you. You can't have a rematch when you're _dead_!"

"But you're not a demon," Elizaveta pointed out angrily.

"That's not the point. They can't put you in Class A if you can't even hit me. Once you're in Class A, you have to face major demons, and you have to be able to protect yourself and your partners. And fighting like that will get your soul sucked out of you," he shook his head.

"If that's all you're going to say to me, then why are we here?!" she shouted out him, clenching her fists. "I didn't come out here to here another stupid lecture about how I'm not good enough!"

"You're out here because I can teach you to become a better fighter," Gilbert said evenly, "But if you want my help, you have to know that Class A isn't just all games and glory. It can be death, too."

Elizaveta regarded him carefully. "I know. And I'm not in it for glory or anything. I want to go out there and help people! I want to stop demons from eating the souls of innocent people!" Her expression was hard, serious, and ardent.

"Alright then," Gilbert smirked, "First of all, you couldn't hit me because your moves are too slow. But I can tell by the way you moved in that you're quick and agile. Your moves are too slow because you think too much."

"Think too much?" she echoed in uncertainty.

"Yeah. You're trying to think about every move before you do them, trying to decide whether it's going to be the right move or not, but by the time you've decided, it's too late. Your opponent can anticipate it already."

"I...never thought about it that way," she murmured, listening carefully to his advice.

"You're a demon hunter, right? You don't trust your instincts in battle, but you _have_ to," Gilbert added, "Everything you need to win in combat is in your instincts! Trust them, because they'll keep you alive."

Elizaveta nodded, but looked a bit reluctant. Gilbert continued, "Second, your form and your stances are perfect...too perfect."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's another reason your moves are too slow. You're too focused on making every move flawless. Accuracy is important, but you shouldn't have to think about it that much. You don't have the time to make sure all your strikes are perfect. That's just not possible. You were so focused on a perfect stance and form, that you became rigid, and I was able to knock you off your feet," Gilbert explained, stretching his arms as he did so.

"But...in Class B, they're always drilling us on stance and form," she frowned, tilting her head slightly.

"Well, yeah that's all good advice, but you need to be flexible too. You have to prepared for something crazy to happen, especially if you're fighting freak-show demons," he told her.

"I guess that makes sense," she sighed, realizing that he really did have a point. She glanced up at him, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Your lesson is...totally different from the conventional way the Academy teaches. You've only been here a few days. Who was your old teacher?"

"Who said I had a teacher?" he grinned, winking at her.

"It's hard to believe you taught yourself all that," she raised an eyebrow. "If you don't want to say who, then don't, but whoever it was must've been a great instructor and a great fighter, too."

"You'd be surprised," he muttered under his breath resentfully, recalling some of Illedris's harsh, grueling drills under intense conditions.

"What was that?" Elizaveta asked, wondering what he said.

"Nothing. Anyway, since I'm really not a demon," Gilbert simpered, "You can have your rematch." He shifted into a fighting stance again. She did the same. "And remember to trust your instincts! They want you to stay alive as much as you do."

"I will," she halfsmiled, relaxing her position and trying to be flexible and solid at the same time, "This time, you'll be the one on the ground!"

* * *

Sadik Adnan was reviewing the papers on his clipboard while sitting on the bleacher's of the Hunter's Gym. Class had gotten out hours ago, but he was still contemplating who to pit against each other for tomorrow's tag team match. He would have liked to put Gilbert in the ring again, but the headmaster had informed him that he was already going on his first assignment tomorrow. He sighed, then decided that Ivan hadn't had a good fight in a while. The Russian student didn't really get to fight as often as the others...mainly because it was always certain he would overtake them all. The only students he could be put against were Yong Soo and Alfred. Yong Soo was on a assignment as well, and Alfred had already taken a turn with the baton match. Maybe there should be a temporary "no soul-skill" rule tomorrow. Yeah, that could work.

His thoughts were interrupted when Heracles Karpusi entered the Gym, taking a seat next to him, a fitful look on his face. "The three accepted the assignment. They depart for the Highlands tomorrow morning."

"Good," Sadik nodded, marking on his clipboard. "You looked worried," he added as if it were a fact, without looking up.

Heracles sighed. "You think they can handle Metus? He's a major demon, and it's Gilbert's first assignment. And Yong Soo has been a bit unstable lately."

"I heard about his little episode earlier," Sadik answered, tearing his gaze away from his papers. "But it didn't sound too bad. I heard he even apologized for once."

"Yao made him."

"Even still. Yong Soo's a tough kid. He's been through a lot, I'm surprised he can still goof around every now and then," Sadik speculated. "One of my best students. He's a good kid."

"You're right," Heracles took a deep breath. "I shouldn't worry about him." Sadik nodded, but regarded his fellow instructor carefully. Heracles still looked...unnerved for some reason.

"What's really wrong?" Sadik frowned, putting his pen down. Heracles didn't get fretful over just anything, so something really bad must be bothering him.

"...It's our new student, Gilbert," Heracles replied finally, looking down at the bleachers.

"Oh. Him. You know he's Siegfried's son, right? He'll be a great demon hunter, if he isn't already. If he inherited any of his old man's genes, he'll be one of the highest ranking on this side of the country," Sadik grinned, remembering his old friend.

"That may be true, but," Heracles creased his forehead worriedly, "I can't see his _pepromene_."

"Heracles, I know your soul skill lets you see a lot," he frowned, "But even you have limits. You can't expect to see everyone's fate or whatever it is you call it."

"I know I'm not all-seeing. And it's not fate, for the millionth time. Fate implies that it's destined to happen. I simply see short visions of the past, present and _possible_ future of a specific soul at random. None of those three imply destiny," the Greek man chided.

"Well, whatever it is, it's not like this is a new thing for you. You couldn't see Alfred's, right?"

"Yes that's true, but we concluded it was part of his mystery soul skill. But we know Gilbert's soul skill, and I still can't see it," Heracles pointed out in concern. "Even though the visions come at random, if I focus on his soul, I should be able to see at least a flicker of some past memory or something."

"Maybe Gilbert has a more complicated soul that we assumed," Sadik shrugged, "You shouldn't think about it too much. Besides, I don't think he'll need any warnings or heads-up's about his possible future from you, he's an amazing fighter and he's only been here a few days."

"Almost too good if you ask me," Heracles said thoughtfully, but then dismissed any stray thoughts and grew serious again. "But it's not just his _pepromene_, whenever he's in close proximity with other hunters, I can't see theirs either."

Now Sadik furrowed his brows, "Really? Has that ever happened before? Even with Alfred?"

"No, with Alfred, only his is unseen. But with Gilbert, it's as if there a...a dark barrier surrounding his and those around him. I've never seen anything like it before. It's like his _pepromene_ is blocked by...a black cloud or dense smoke or something. I don't know how to describe it."

"...Gilbert's a good kid too," the Turkish man answered finally, "It must be a strange addition to his soul skill or something. To be honest with you, I don't want to...cross-examine too much. He's Siegfried's boy. I can even see some of his talent in his son." He sighed in melancholy. "I feel like we owe him. We should have tried harder to stop him from leaving the demon hunting life."

Heracles's expression softened. "You know as well as I do that nothing we could have said could change his mind. He was in love with her."

"I know. I just feel like he'd want us to look after his sons for him."

"Look after them? We just sent Gilbert to slay Metus. I wouldn't say that's looking after him. Siegfried would have wanted a demon hunter son he'd be proud of." Heracles smiled to himself, remembering their old class valedictorian and his high standards.

"I think he would be. Proud of his son, I mean," Sadik nodded to himself. He missed his old companion, he really did. They had slain so many monsters together. Siegfried was a gifted demon hunter, only to be killed in a car crash. It was simply unfathomable.

* * *

It was 7:29 a.m., and for once, Gilbert wasn't grumpy to be out of bed so early. He was ready to go, pumped up and amped for his first big assignment as a demon hunter student. He, Yong Soo, and Natalya were standing in front of the Hunter's Gym, and Mr. Karpusi was giving them instructions that they were to carry out in order to complete the assignment. "Metus has been ravaging the Highlands, and he's already devoured ten souls in the last two days. If we take this past month into account, he's eaten enough souls to make up a whole village. This has to stop, and we've finally been able to track his general whereabouts. Take the subway heading north, and get off at the seventh stop. That should take you to the base of the Highlands, and from there you'll have to work your way in and find him. When you do, you must be very careful. Not much is known about Metus, only that he is able to utilize his prey's fear against them, and then take their soul. Be wary; courage is not always the answer to fear."

"Right," Natalya nodded.

"Let's do this," Gilbert simpered in excitement.

"We'll be back before you know it," Yong Soo grinned.

"If you must search at night, then watch each others' backs. Fear works best in the dark," Mr. Karpusi warned. The three nodded, then said their temporary goodbyes before heading to the subway station. Yong Soo slung his backpack over his shoulder, a carefree look on his face, and no one would ever guess he was going to hunt a demon with that expression. Natalya kept her cool and chillingly calm demeanor, her cold eyes always seeming to be analyzing everything in her path. Gilbert followed alongside them, also slinging his knapsack over his shoulder. Gilbird was safely sleeping inside the knapsack, and apparently being a demon bird meant he didn't need any air holes. The albino was all ready to go; he had even left a letter on his pillow for Ludwig, saying that he was going on a special field trip with some classmates for his advanced Mythology class (that was the cover up story that demon hunters told the mundane mortals, which Gilbert thought was stupid. Why in the world would anyone take an advanced Mythology class? But apparently it worked).

It appeared that no one else had received an assignment for today, since they were the only three on the bus. They each took a seat and after a moment the subway train's door slid shut and with an initial jolt, they were heading towards their destination.

"Make sure we get off at the seventh stop," Natalya reminded them.

"I'll keep track," Yong Soo nodded.

"Meanwhile, we can relax while we wait," Gilbert grinned, setting his knapsack down and leaning back in his chair.

"Um...Gilbert?" Yong Soo tilted his head to the side.

"What?"

"I think your bag just moved..."

"Oh yeah," Gilbert blinked, then unzipped the main pocket. Gilbird fluttered out, circling Gilbert's head twice before land softly on his cranium.

"Why do you have a chick with you?" Natalya raised her eyebrow, surprised.

"This is Gilbird," he announced proudly, and the yellow bird chirped on cue.

"Aren't you afraid it might...you know, take a crap in your hair?" Yong Soo frowned.

"You know, I never thought of that," Gilbert tapped his chin thoughtfully. Gilbird chirped giddily, as if he found the notion hilarious. Then Gilbert thought that perhaps demon birds didn't have to do their business like ordinary birds.

"I think he's cool," Yong Soo laughed, eying the chick with an amused look on his face. "Just don't let any of the teachers catch you with a pet in your dorm!"

"No pets allowed, huh?"

"Technically speaking. But that rule gets broken all the time. Kiku keeps his little dog in our dorm," Yong Soo shrugged, "Francis has at least three birds in his cabinet, all named Pierre for some reason. And I'm pretty sure Yao has a small panda in his dorm, but no one's ever seen it. I swear Yao just has a good hiding spot for it. And Arthur claims to have a flying rabbit, but no one's ever seen it. I'm pretty sure he's lying."

"Anyway we should start thinking about the mission now," Natalya changed the subject as she fixed the big black bow in her hair. "We'll be there sooner than you think."

"Right, so this is a demon of fear, right? Then we can't let him manipulate our emotions. We have to keep our souls impervious to his attacks," Yong Soo said confidently.

"Will your soul shell stop him from using your fear?" Natalya asked curiously.

"I...don't know actually," he answered, a bit lamely, "I hope so. But if it doesn't, I'm not easily scared anyway! He can't use my fears against me, because I don't have any!"

"Don't say that," Natalya said abruptly, her voice deadly serious, more than usual, this time. "You may not realize it, but everyone has a fear. You can't be mortal without a fear."

"What do you mean?" Gilbert furrowed his brow, "I've fought many demons, all sorts of them, and by myself too. I've overcome the fear of monsters, of the unknown. I've always faced my fears, until there were none left."

Natalya shook her head. "Face your fears? Remember what our teacher said, 'courage is not always the answer to fear.' Every mortal has a fear. You may not know what it is right now, but trust me, Metus will know, and he'll use it against you."

"Well then, what are you afraid of?" Yong Soo asked with an inquisitive gaze.

"...You have to accept your fear before you can relinquish it," she answered vaguely, clearly dodging the question. She just stared at the floor, her arms folded across her chest, evidently thinking hard about something. Gilbird chirped uneasily, as if agreeing with her in acquiescence, and even Yong Soo fell silent. Gilbert put his elbow on the hand rest of his seat, and propped his head up with his hand, grumpily trying to dismiss what Natalya had said. Was she right though? Gilbird seemed to think she had a point. If she was right, then Gilbert didn't know what his fear was, or at least, he couldn't name it off the top of his head at the moment. But if Natalya's words had some truth in them, then Metus would reveal his true fear soon enough.

* * *

At last, the subway train rolled to the seventh stop, the Highlands of the North, and the trio stepped off onto the platform. The station was in a town just at the base of the Highlands, and the first thing Gilbert noticed when he got off was the chilly air, nipping at his cheeks and ears. Apparently Yong Soo noticed it too, because he was shivering like crazy. "It's s-s-so c-c-cold!" he exclaimed, hugging his own body.

"Honestly, did any of you two think before coming here?" Natalya shook her head, exasperated, opening her backpack and pulling out a dark blue overcoat with large black buttons. After she slipped it on, she put on a pair of black leather gloves. "If you'd planned ahead, you'd have realized how cold it gets up here."

Gilbert quickly scanned the town square before him, immediately spotting a clothing store across the plaza that sold coats and other warm articles of clothing, mainly for tourists or visitors as ignorant as Gilbert and Yong Soo. Gilbert bought a white, hooded cloak along with a cozy gray scarf, in which Gilbird curled up in once Gilbert had wrapped it around his neck. Yong Soo selected a blue jacket to throw on over his clothes, and though the sleeves were much too long, the Korean said he liked it that way.

"Done yet?" Natalya sighed impatiently, "We need to get moving. Mr. Karpusi advised us to take the demon down before nightfall. It's a little after four in the afternoon already, and we still have to search the deeper part of the mountains."

* * *

The three swiftly made it to the edge of the town, then quickened their pace as they traveled up the tall hills of the Highlands. With every mile they covered for the next three hours, the hills rapidly transitioned into towering, snow-covered mountains. Patches of sparse woods lined the sides of the mountains, the green pine trees turned white by the falling snow. Though it wasn't snowing too hard; Gilbert could still see a decent distance ahead, and the wind wasn't hindering their pace too much. There weren't any more towns or houses this far into the Highlands, and there weren't any hikers either, especially after word of a ravenous Metus got around.

"We need to move faster! It's already almost evening and we haven't even found a trace of him," Natalya said, gritting her teeth. She broke into a run, dashing light on her feet, and Gilbert and Yong Soo weren't far behind. They continued at a fast run for another hour or so, before Natalya abruptly came to a halt in what seemed to be a small valley, with tall mountains rising up on all sides. A thin spread of barren, leave-less trees surrounded them.

"Why'd you stop?" Gilbert asked, catching his breath.

"Look around," she answered, gesturing to the ground and to the trees. "These trees aren't just in hibernation due to winter. These trees are dead. Like the life's been sucked out of them by an evil presence."

"So he was here, huh?" Yong Soo said, taking a good look at the valley around them. "Looks like he was here a while ago though...at least two days ago. But we don't know which direction he went from here! We can't search every freaking mountain like this, it's just not possible, especially before nightfall. The sun's starting to go down already."

"You're right," Natalya admitted bitterly, "We can't find him before sunset...not at the pace we're going."

"Wait, you're sure he's in the vicinity though, right?" Gilbert inquired, "Like he's somewhere nearby, you just don't know which direction?"

Yong Soo nodded, "But we're not fast enough to scope out all of the nearby mountains, and it's not a good idea to split up right now."

"Well, what if we made Metus come to us?" A small grin grew on Gilbert's face.

"What do you mean?" Natalya tilted her head.

"Metus is a powerful demon, right? Then he should be able to sense souls that he can devour if they're close enough. I can draw him right to us with my soul," he explained, as if there was a light bulb above his head. "All I have to do is make my soul as vulnerable as possible and make my presence more noticeable. It'll look so tasty, he won't be able to resist."

"You can lure him with your own soul? Normally, we tried to hide our souls, not lay them out on a silver platter," Yong Soo said.

"It'll work, trust me," Gilbert waved off. Natalya frowned, as if she didn't believe him, but nodded any way. So Gilbert closed his eyes, and focused directly on his soul, that glowing sphere of life energy deep inside himself. He cleared his mind and dropped all his defenses, as if he were just going to fall into a heavy slumber. With a little more concentration, he imagined his soul growing and expanding outward a little, making it a big and flaunting as possible. "Now we just have to wait a little," he said, eyes still closed, not breaking his concentration. Yong Soo and Natalya regarded him skeptically, but decided to trust him.

Not fifteen minutes had passed when the three felt a sudden, drastic change of atmosphere. The air around them became ten degrees colder, and the wind picked up significantly, which was strange because they were in a small valley. The branches of several trees shriveled up, or snapped off altogether.

"You did it, Gilbert," Natalya said, her muscles tensing, "Your bait brought him right to us."

"This is it," Yong Soo announced, preparing himself for a fight. His expression was fierce, yet there was a hint of excitement in his ever-so-slight smile. "He's coming."

Suddenly the sunlight in the valley grew significantly dimmer, and an enormous black shadow seemed to slid down the mountain side to their left, until the entire face of the mountain was covered in darkness. But the shadow didn't stop there; it raced forward, enveloping the landscape in a black, wispy shade, until it abruptly came to a stop a few yards in front of where the three stood.

Natalya flexed her wrists, and two throwing knives appeared in her leather gloves. Yong Soo shifted into a martial arts stance, and Gilbert straightened up, rebuilding his soul's defenses.

"What's this? Three mortal souls this far into the mountains?" a disembodied voice cackled. His voice echoed throughout the valley, and frantic whispers from who knows what followed. Gilbert couldn't tell what the whispers were saying, but they seemed panicked, as if they were trying to get him to turn on his heels and flee for his life.

Out of the darkness stepped a lone figure, humanoid shaped, but instead of skin, shadows encased his body, and for some reason the demon reminded Gilbert of a black hole. The demon appeared to be a walking shadow himself, as if intangible, but Gilbert knew better. Red eyes hungrily looked over him and his companions, and the demon leered, much like Illedris would, flashing his sharpened fangs. "My lucky day," he hissed sinisterly, "Looks like dinner is served."

* * *

From the Author: I had a little extra time this week, so I whipped this chapter up! It was more of a set-up chap again, but I promise it'll get actiony next chap!

Siegfried is Germania, Natalya is Belarus, Yong Soo is Korea, Elizaveta is Hungary. Sadik is Turkey and Heracles is Greece.

Finally reached this point in the story! The plot is really going to take off from here~ I can't wait! I love typing this thing up for you guys, so I hope you enjoy reading it! I promise Gilbert will be in for a terribly sticky situation he'll have to fight his way out of, so stick around and see if he can survive it, eh?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my little fanfic here, and thanks to all my new favoriters and followers and reviewers~ Means a lot! Thanks again and until next chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Hetalia belongs to its creator, who is not me by any means.

* * *

"Dinner?" Yong Soo spat in animosity, "Think again, demon! Because you won't be feasting on any of our souls tonight!"

The demon turned its red eyes on the Korean, and regarded him haughtily, "You aren't cowering in fear, how interesting. You three must not be mundane, if you were expecting me. Come to vanquish me, I see? Well, I'd hate to break this to you, but I'm afraid you three made a grave mistake. I am the demon Metus. You should consider it a special honor to have your souls devoured by one as great and powerful as me." His menacing laugh resounded off the mountainside, creating a eerie feeling.

"We're demon hunters of the Venator Academy, here to put a stop to your atrocities," Natalya declared in a steely, calm voice. "Your rampage ends here, Metus."

"You think you can defeat me, foolish girl? I've killed many demon hunters before, my dear, and you're no different," he leered at them.

Gilbert could sense the fight about to begin, and summoned his soul energy to his palms. A silver hilt formed in his grasp, and its shiny, metallic blade shot out from its open end. The blade elongated until it was four feet long, and his double-edged sword was complete. Upon seeing the fierce weapon, Gilbird chirped in alarm and fluttered out of his scarf and onto a nearby branch, wanting to stay out of harm's way.

"A soul skill? Now that is most interesting, but I'm afraid it won't help you here," Metus chuckled with an evil grin.

"Why don't you just stand still so we can test that theory?" Gilbert smirked, brandishing his sword.

"Enough talk," Metus growled, "I'm famished." But before the demon could make a move, Natalya flung her two knives, one aimed at his forehead, then other at his chest. Her blades streaked towards their targets with amazing speed and velocity, but just before they were able to pierce him, a tendril of shadows shot out of the darkness, acting as a shield for Metus. Her knives sank into the tendril, which engulfed them. "I'm impressed, girl," the demon simpered, "That's quite a soul skill you have there, deadly accuracy. But even that won't work on me."

While the demon was busy gloating, the three demon hunters exchanged glances. Then, simultaneously, they attacked, coordinating their strikes. Gilbert came in first, swinging his sword, intending to slice Metus across his chest, but another tendril of darkness appeared in his way. Yong Soo darted around Gilbert, who was cutting down that creepy, thick vine of blackness, and leapt over two other tentacles of shadow to reach Metus. Once he was close enough to the demon, Yong Soo lunged, armed with nothing but his bare fists. He tried to barrage monster with an array of jabs, punches, and forceful kicks, but the demon was faster than he appeared, evading Yong Soo's strikes. More tendrils grew out from the darkness behind Metus, trying to knock Yong Soo aside or wrap around his body, but Natalya had his back, using daggers to slash them away. Gilbert also kept them at bay, trying to buy Yong Soo enough time to face Metus by himself.

But landing a blow on the powerful fiend was no easy feat. Yong Soo was moving as fast as his body would let him, attempting to strike the demon where his guard was open, but to no avail. Even using his combination moves, Metus was able to avoid them all. And when Yong Soo threw a right punch at his temple, the demon caught the Korean's fist in his own hand, leering sinisterly, red eyes gleaming in amusement.

Yong Soo struggled to pull back, to break the demon's grasp on his hand, but Metus was too strong. Then a tentacle wrapped around his midsection, and contracted tightly, like a snake constricting its prey. Metus let go of his fist, and the tendril lifted Yong Soo a few feet off the ground and brought him closer to Metus's face, until they were only inches apart. "Show me the fear in your eyes, boy," Metus cackled.

"I'm not afraid of you," Yong Soo glowered, a hateful scowl on his face.

"Well, you should be," Metus sneered, a ominous sound, "Because your soul is mine!"

"Yong Soo!" Natalya shouted, but there were too many tendrils in her way. She could never reach him in time. Gilbert cut down another tendril, then brashly dashed forward to help his companion, but another black tentacle grabbed his ankle, tripping him so that he got a face full of snow and dirt.

Metus reached out to touch Yong Soo's chest, where his heart would be, and the demon's hand passed through his body as if he were a ghost. "Now I'll have that precious soul of yours," he smirked.

Abruptly, Metus stopped, red eyes widening, and quickly pulled his shadowy hand back. "What? Your soul...?" His voice was filled with shock and confusion.

Now it was Yong Soo's turn to smirk. "Ever seen a soul shell before? Well that's my soul skill, da ze! You can't touch it, and you won't be eating my soul today!"

"Insolent human!" Metus roared in anger. "I can still kill you by destroying your mortal body!" The demon's hand transformed into a large spike, a pointed, solid barb instead of fingers.

Gilbert quickly sliced his foot free from the tendril and jumped to his feet. Before Metus could impale his friend, Gilbert slashed the tendril that held Yong Soo, which dissolved into nothing more than wisps in the wind. Yong Soo landed on his feet, grinning. "Thanks, Gilbert. Let's finish this job already," he said, cracking his knuckles under his long sleeves.

Metus glared at them, then took a few steps backward into the darkness that concealed him. "No more games, demon hunters," his disembodied voice echoed in rancor, the whispers returning with their frenzied tones. "I'll show you the true power of fear!"

Gilbert's eyes searched the shadows for the demon, "Show yourself, coward!" The tendrils suddenly recoiled back into the darkness along with Metus, leaving the three facing the shadows in a tense silence, like the eye of a storm.

But when Gilbert tried to take a step forward, he found to his alarm that he couldn't move his feet. "Guys, I can't move!"

"Neither can I," Natalya griped in frustration. She held her knife out, as if trying to keep whatever kind of power this was away.

"I'm stuck, too," Yong Soo said as he tried desperately to pick his foot off the ground.

A evil laughter resonated from the darkness, "Don't bother wasting your energy like that. It's your own fear that's petrifying you, immobilizing you."

"Impossible!" Natalya looked down at the ground and gasped involuntarily. What appeared to be black vines were growing at her feet, snaking up her legs, and suddenly she couldn't move at all. The same was happening to Yong Soo and Gilbert, also paralyzed.

"You demon hunters always think you're above fear," Metus growled, "It makes me sick. No mortal is above fear. Why don't I prove it to you?"

Out of nowhere, Gilbert's eye lids felt extremely heavy, and a yawn escaped his mouth. Why was he so sleepy? He was supposed to be fighting!

"Enjoy your nightmares," chuckled the demon. It was the last thing Gilbert heard before he blacked out entirely, consumed by the darkness around him.

* * *

Gilbert found himself inside Illedris's cave, the chamber that served as her lair. What was he doing here again? He'd forgotten. Did she call him here or something? What was he doing before he came here...? It seemed like he was missing something important, but could not name what it was.

"Hey! I'm here! Did you summon me?" he called into the empty chamber. At first there was no reply.

Then smoke rose from one of the stalagmites on the floor of the cave, forming the demon he was bound to serve. Illedris regarded him coldly, with a harsh look that Gilbert had never seen before. Her lips were set straight in a thin line, and her eyes reflected a tempest of anger within her. There was blood on her fingers, dripping to the rock floor.

"I-Illedris?" Gilbert ventured warily, nervousness seeping into his voice. What was going on? He'd never seen her like this!

"You foolish boy," she growled, and the cavern rumbled slightly. "You knew the consequences, and yet..."

Suddenly, a pang of pure agony erupted from the Ouroboros Mark on Gilbert's back. He fell to his knees in shock and pain, crying out involuntarily. His whole soul felt the relentless torture, his physical body tremblingly uncontrollably.

Illedris just watched with those merciless black eyes and a neutral expression. "You broke the deal, Gilbert Beilschmidt, our soul deal. You should have known this would happen. Your soul will burn until it is no more. But, that is not all you have forfeited." She moved out of the way, revealing the corpse that lay on the barren floor behind her. After staring at it for a moment in pure confusion, Gilbert realized through the searing pain that it wasn't just any corpse. It was Ludwig's.

Gilbert's eyes widened in absolute horror. He couldn't even bring himself to speak or call out his dead brother's name.

"That was our deal, remember? You serve me until death, and I leave your brother's soul untouched. But you broke it, and so I got to take his soul." Illedris licked her lips, and it hit him that the blood on her hands belonged to Ludwig, and it was the same blood that stained his brother's clothes.

"N-no, that can't be!" Gilbert cried, ignoring the pain that burned through his own soul. That pain was nothing compared to the blow that came with seeing Ludwig's body.

"His soul was...quite tasty," Illedris continued, her voice apathetic. She glanced down at him with those cold eyes again. "You look devastated. But it's all your fault he's dead, your fault his soul is gone."

Every word was like a painful sucker punch, as if she were beating the life out of him with her remark. Gilbert could feel nothing but agony, horror, and terror.

"No, no, no! You're lying! This-this can't be real!" Gilbert shouted, his voice reverberating off the wall of the chamber, "I would never break the deal! This isn't real!" His memory came back to him in that instant. He had been fighting the demon Metus! The demon that could manipulate fear. So this was his true fear.

Gilbert rose to his feet again, and the expression on Illedris's face changed to shock. The pain in his soul had subsided once he realized that this was all an illusion, created by that bastard. "Metus!" he thundered, "I know this is all a dream, because...because I would _never_ forsake my brother's soul! I'd never be the one to break the soul deal!"

As he shouted, the chamber around him began to fade, and Gilbert ripped himself free from the nightmare.

* * *

Gilbert awoke with a start, and found himself lying in the freezing snow. He sat up, surprised that he didn't have frostbite by now, but more surprised that he hands were tied behind his back and his legs were also bound by those black vines. When he looked over to his left, he saw that Natalya and Yong Soo were still passed out, lying on their sides in fitful slumber. The shadow demon stood over Yong Soo, watching him fidget in his sleep, his back turned toward Gilbert.

"Mom...dad...no, please! Stop!" Yong Soo exclaimed, still fast asleep, sweat beading his forehead.

"Brother...sister...no, you can't be...!" Natalya said, sounding hysterical, but she, too, was in a deep sleep.

Metus bent down to touch Natalya's forehead, but Gilbert burst out, angrily, "Don't touch her!"

The demon blinked, startled, then crouched down in front of Gilbert with an arrogant leer. "Hmm...awake already? You have a strong soul...Your determination is laudable. While you were asleep, I also saw your nightmare."

"Then you know that I'm too good for any of your stupid illusions," Gilbert spat back, struggling against the bindings.

"Your greatest fear is losing your dear brother," Metus said matter-of-factly, "But...that soul deal you made is quite interesting." Gilbert gritted his teeth. "But don't worry," the demon added, "I saw it through the nightmare, so technically, you haven't broken the deal...yet."

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about," he growled heatedly.

"Though I must say, if I had a soul, I'd probably feel really sorry for you," Metus snickered, "That's terrible luck, demon hunter, to be bound to _Illedris_ of all demons. She's a cunning combination of clever and insane. You know, she came to me a couple days ago, just poofed right over into my territory, talk about rude! Came here asking for an alliance, can you believe it? Ha, who ever heard of major demons forming alliances? That's absurd."

"She...wanted to team up with you?" Gilbert frowned. His master never once mentioned anything about working with other demons. In fact, Illedris didn't get along well with others of her kind. She hated other demons trespassing into her territory, and always sent Gilbert to get rid of them for her. Why would she want to form any kind of alliances with other demons?

"Yes. And she was very persuasive, but I know better than to trust a conniving she demon like her," Metus shrugged. Out of nowhere his demeanor changed into something more disturbing, and he barred his fangs. "No more business talk. I'm starving and it's about time for supper. And tonight, demon hunter's on the menu!" He seized Gilbert's chin and forced him to look up. Their red eyes met, and the demon sneered, "Resilient souls always have a flavorsome taste to them, and yours looks especially succulent right now." Gilbert wanted to shout some profane things at the wicked demon, but he couldn't move his mouth, so he just glared instead. He wasn't about to go down begging for mercy. He'd die as a demon hunter.

Metus examined him carefully, then tapped his own chin with his free hand. "Your soul reminds me of another...like we've met before. But I'm sure if we'd met, I'd have already eaten your soul. But your soul is so familiar...oh, now I remember!" Metus let out a disconcerting laugh. "Your his son! That demon hunter's son! Your physical appearance doesn't resemble his as much, but your soul has that same defiance and fortitude. That same attachment and devotion to family. What was that demon hunter's name...Sebastian...no, Sinclair..."

"Siegfried," Gilbert finished in an aghast whisper.

"Yeah, that was him!" Metus sneered evilly. "I remember his soul. If yours tastes anything like his did, then I'll be more than satisfied."

"You..._what_?! No, no...my father died in a car crash with my mother!" Gilbert exclaimed wildly. That's what happened right? All those years ago his parents were killed in a car crash. Not by...by...

"Car crash? Oh, that's rich!" Metus laughed as if the idea was hilarious. "There were in the car when I stopped them, that's true. But your father came out to protect his _dear_ wife. He challenged me in order to let his loved one escape her inevitable doom. Your father put up an excellent fight, I'll give him that. But in the end, fear got the better of him, as it always does! I consumed his soul, and I almost got his wife too, but she killed herself before I could get to her. Her soul had passed on to the afterlife, just out of my reach."

"You...ate his soul..." Gilbert echoed, overcome by a tidal wave of grief, anguish, and dismay, tears springing into his eyes. How could this be? It wasn't possible! It couldn't be true! "My parents...are dead because of you?"

"You know what your father's true fear was? It was losing his sons. Losing them to demons. How ironic that you would come to me tonight! You came here to kill me, but you will meet the same fate your father did! And his worst fear will come true!"

"You murdered them," Gilbert's eyes were hazy, and his whole body was shaking. "My brother and I are all alone because of you. I've suffered all these years, _all because of you_!" With his last words, Gilbert felt his soul's energy swell inside his chest uncontrollably, his utter hatred and anger boiling deep inside him. He felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins, and his life energy rush to the palms of his hands. The black shadow bindings that tied him tore away under the sheer might of his soul energy. Metus sprang back, shocked, and Gilbert leapt to his feet, roaring, "I'll kill you for what you've done!"

A rather hefty hilt took shape in Gilbert's outstretched hand, and he manifested one of his special weapons, a claymore-a large, double-edged broadsword. He rarely summoned this specific sword to his side, since it was heavier than most of his other weapons in his inventory. It had to be held with both hands, but Gilbert was strong enough to put its cutting blade to good use in battle.

"You think that fear always prevails, huh? Well, you couldn't be more wrong! Fear can be overcome just like light can chase away the darkness! If fear stops me from protecting my brother or my friends, then you can be sure as hell I _will_ conquer it!" Gilbert's unwavering voice rang throughout the valley as he raised his claymore and pointed it at his foe. The blade itself emitted a soft glow, barely able to contain the massive amount of soul energy Gilbert was pouring into it.

Metus took a couple steps back, "How can your soul be so powerful? This can't be happening!" The tendrils that protected the demon shrank back into the shadows, and the black vines that held Yong Soo and Natalya captive disintegrated into nothingness. The two stirred, and finally regained consciousness to see Gilbert wielding his glowing weapon.

"Remember me, Metus, demon of fear! Don't you forget Gilbert Beilschmidt, the demon hunter who vanquished you and sent you the fires of the Underworld. Never forget who it was that avenged his father and defeated you!" Gilbert charged the shadowy demon, whose arms transformed into pointed barbs in an attempt to drive Gilbert away. But Gilbert swung his claymore with incredible force, slicing right through the barbs, and then thrust the blade into the demon's chest. "Be gone!" he shouted, and the demon shrieked, a harsh, wretched sound. But within seconds, the demon dissolved into shadowy wisps that disappeared in the wind, and the darkness that had followed him gave way to light.

Breathing hard, Gilbert collapsed to his knees, and the claymore crumbled into that dust-like substance. Gilbird, sensing the danger was gone, flew down from one of the dead trees and landed lightly on Gilbert's shoulder, rubbing his fluffy feathers against his cheek, trying to comfort him. Yong Soo and Natalya picked themselves off the ground and rushed to kneel by their companion.

"You did it, Gilbert! You slew the demon!" Yong Soo exclaimed elatedly.

"That was amaz-" Natalya started, but stopped brusquely when she saw Gilbert's face. Yong Soo's smile faded too.

Tears were falling from Gilbert's red eyes and onto the snow-covered ground. He barely even registered that his fellow demon hunters were there, or that Gilbird was trying to cheer him up. "Father..." he murmured in anguish. "Mother..." Gilbert had done it, he had avenged his father's death, but he couldn't help but let that bottled-up grief overtake him now. He hadn't cried over his parents' deaths since he was a little kid, but he couldn't stop the tears now. He hated that he was weeping in front of his classmates, they'd probably think he was weak now.

But then, to his complete surprise, Natalya embraced him in a warm, friendly hug. He didn't think she was capable of showing such emotion, but then Yong Soo also joined and wrapped his arms around them both. When they pulled back, Natalya gave him a soft smile, "You saved us, Gilbert."

"Yeah, we'd be goners if it weren't for you," Yong Soo agreed, "Your dad would be proud, I know he would!"

Gilbird chirped in concurrence. Gilbert wiped his eyes with his cloak and cracked a small smile, and even though it may have been a broken one, it was still a smile all the same. "Thanks guys." He tried to stand up, but stumbled forward instead, and Yong Soo had to catch him.

"You used up a lot of your soul energy at once," Natalya frowned, "I'm surprised you're still conscious."

"But we really should get out of here," Yong Soo sighed, "Who knows what other demons are lurking out here." He slung Gilbert's arm over his shoulder, so that the albino could limp alongside him for as long as he needed to. Gilbird rode on his friend's head happily.

* * *

On the subway ride home, Gilbert felt he couldn't keep what Metus told him to himself anymore. He told them about his parents, and how they really died. Normally, Gilbert wasn't one to open up about such personal stuff, but he couldn't stop his own mouth from pouring out words. His companions didn't mind, not at all, especially after he saved their lives.

"I know how you feel, Gilbert," Yong Soo consoled gingerly. "But I'm sure your parents would've wanted you to move on."

"So after you found out," Natalya speculated, "Your emotions must've powered your soul energy enough to defeat Metus. Gilbert, that's incredible, only great demon hunters can channel their emotions like that."

"I didn't even know what I was doing," he gave them a sideways glance. "I was just so angry, I can hardly remember anything else."

"I can't believe you were able to break Metus's spell," Yong Soo remarked, "It was...all so real...I saw my parents. They were like ghosts or something, and..." He shuddered, his eyes nebulous, "They were mad at me, yelling that I was a disgrace for not being able to save them and then running away to save myself all those years ago." The Korean looked sick to his stomach just thinking about it.

"I saw my brother and sister," Natalya murmured, "They were both dead."

"I saw my brother's dead body too," Gilbert shivered, remembering the blood that dripped from Illedris's fingers. He was determined that that would never become reality. Keeping the soul deal was more important to him now more than ever.

"But it wasn't real," Yong Soo sighed, "I know that now."

"Yeah," Gilbert nodded. But the image of Ludwig's corpse was forever ingrained in his memory. It really was his biggest fear.

* * *

As soon as they returned back to the Academy, Yong Soo and Natalya offered to make the report by themselves so that Gilbert could rest up some more. His soul energy hadn't fully regenerated, and so he thanked them and went straight to his dorm. It was already six o'clock in the morning, and Gilbert was able to sneak into his dorm and crash on his bed without waking his brother. He was so tired that he sleep right through school that day, but the instructors were okay with that, since they had been informed of the report.

Around four o'clock in the afternoon, there was a knock on his door, and he finally pulled himself out of bed to answer it. "The headmaster would like to see you," Yao told him, then after letting him get dressed quickly, led him to the main office again, where he waited in its lobby. Yao left as soon as Gilbert was seated, though not before telling him to wait until one of the secretaries called him in.

He didn't have to wait long. After about five minutes, he was called into the headmaster's office. It was a wide, circular room that was on the second floor of the main office building. A plush red carpet, and several small statues of warriors decorated the room. On the walls hung various pieces of ancient armor, lined in gold. One gilded chest plate caught his attention; it hung on the very center of the wall behind the headmaster's mahogany desk, with a red sash draped across it, and a golden shield hanging just under it. Several swords were also on display on the walls, as if antiques.

The headmaster was also gazing up at that same chest plate, with his back turned to Gilbert, as if in deep thought. When Gilbert took a step forward, he turned around, and gave him a broad smile. He had dark eyes and dark brown hair, with two wayward curly strands. Along with tanned skin, he had a burly stature, though Gilbert suspected he was much older than he looked. "Hello, Gilbert, I'm Romulus Vargas, the headmaster of the Venator Academy."

Gilbert blinked. "Vargas?" He'd heard that name somewhere before.

Mr. Vargas chuckled, "You probably met my grandsons, Feliciano and Lovino."

"Oh yeah, I have," Gilbert said reluctantly, remembering the story of the two twins.

Apparently the headmaster read his hesitant expression. "So you've heard about their...peculiar soul situation." He sighed. "My greatest regret, that I wasn't there to save them that night." His tone grew nostalgic, and Gilbert found the headmaster a strange person. No doubt he was a great demon hunter, that was a given since he ran this school. Mr. Vargas had an endearing yet enigmatic air about him, as if there was a hidden power that was present but just locked away. "Anyway," the headmaster waved off, returning to the subject at hand, "Natalya and Yong Soo turned in their report of your last assignment. I have to start off by apologizing."

"Apologizing?" Gilbert repeated.

"Yes, you see, I didn't realize that Metus had grown so powerful in such little time. He must have eaten many more souls than we initially assumed. I shouldn't have given that assignment to only three students. I should have put at least five on the team," he frowned diffidently. "But according to the report, the only reason the assignment was a success was because of you."

"Is that what they said?" Gilbert tilted his head slightly. They didn't have to give him all the credit. They were a team, after all.

Mr. Vargas nodded. "I'm very impressed by your soul's natural strength. Being able to break Metus's spell and then slay him are tasks that greatly exceed any of my expectations for a student so young. Their report also included...the information you received from Metus regarding your parents."

Gilbert blanched slightly. Why would they report about something like that?

"It's protocol," Mr. Vargas sighed, reading his expression again, "It's mandatory to record information received from demons in the report. But, I have something for you." He handed Gilbert a photograph, and Gilbert accepted it with a puzzled look on his face. It appeared to be class picture, with the students sitting on the bleachers on the Hunter's Gym and smiling for the camera. It was a rather small class, only about fifteen students, so Gilbert easily picked out familiar faces. There was Mr. Karpusi, in his youth, along with a young Mr. Adnan. But next to him sat a student who bore a striking resemblance to Ludwig. It was his father, Siegfried Beilschmidt.

"I was an instructor back then, not yet headmaster," Mr. Vargas said, "And your father was one of the best students I ever had the honor of teaching. That's Class A from years ago. You can keep that photo, if you'd like."

"Thanks," Gilbert manage to utter out before placing the picture carefully in his pocket.

"I suppose I never gave you a proper welcome to my school," Mr. Vargas grinned, "So welcome to the Venator Academy, and welcome to our demon hunter family!"

Gilbert couldn't help but smile at his cheery reception. It reminded him of Feliciano a bit. "Demon hunter family, huh? I like the sound of it!"

"And one more thing before you go," the headmaster said, pulling out a small box from one of his desk drawers and placing it in Gilbert's palm. "That's for saving two members of our family from a demon. I'm proud to give it to you, Gilbert."

Gilbert thanked him again and left for his dorm, knowing that he was meant to open the box when he was alone. Once by himself in his room, he sat on his bed and Gilbird flew over from his hiding spot on top of the dresser. He carefully removed the lid, revealing a small golden medallion bearing the emblem of Venator Academy. Depicted on it was a golden bird with its magnificent wings outstretched, and in its talons was a sword. Surrounding the emblem were three words: Integrity, Courage, Justice.

His finger traced along the three warrior virtues. This was his award for saving Yong Soo and Natalya and defeating Metus, a major demon. But suddenly, after reading those three words, he felt as if he didn't deserve it. He quickly shut the box and shoved it under his bed. Gilbird chirped in alarm at his sudden motions.

"I don't have any of those," Gilbert whispered, his voice hollow, "Integrity? I'm a demon hunter working for a ruthless demon. Courage? I'm a coward, hiding my shameful secret like some lowlife criminal. And justice...there is no justice serving a demon. Why'd he give that to me?"

Gilbird chirped sadly, fluttering down to Gilbert's lap to give him a comforting look.

"I don't belong here, Gilbird," he murmured. "If they ever found out about the soul deal..." Then his gaze drifted over to Ludwig's bed, neatly made as usual. Next to the lamp that sat on the nightstand was a picture frame contain a photograph of when Gilbert and Ludwig were just little kids, a year before the soul deal was made. They both looked so happy, but Gilbert could only focus on Ludwig's smile. He smiled more often when they were kids. Gilbert thought back to the illusion in which he had broken the deal, and Illedris had devoured his brother's soul. He could not allow that to happen. If he wanted to keep his brother safe, he'd have to keep his cover and serve Illedris until his death.

A deal's a deal.

* * *

From the Author: I absolutely love writing action scenes in my spare time~

Romulus is Rome, if that wasn't clear. Metus is the Latin word for Fear.

Since my winter break is coming to a close, I decided I'd release this chapter before the demons called Tests and Homework attack me and swallow me up. But I doubt anyone's complaining about a quick update~

Anyways, thanks so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following! I really appreciate every little gesture, it's what keeps me going as a fanfiction writer, it's like my storying-writing fuel!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! I told you it would get actiony~ And the plot will only thicken from here, so stick around! Until next chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Hetalia.

* * *

Since Gilbert had slept through class that day, he decided it would be a good idea to go find Elizaveta, and maybe talk about training again soon. Their last training session had gone remarkably well, he had to give himself credit. She was still no match for Gilbert, but she lasted much longer once she learned to trust her instincts. After about seven rematches, she finally landed a punch on his shoulder, and even though she lost the match, Elizaveta was absolutely glowing at the progress. Gilbert thought she was kind of cute when she was getting excited about getting better at combat.

He found her in the library again, pouring over books at the back table. With a small grin, he took a seat next to her like he did when they first worked out a training agreement. "Hey, Lizzie," he greeted smoothly, grabbing her attention away from the page she was currently reading.

"Lizzie? When did you start calling me that?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Two seconds ago. 'Elizaveta' is too long," Gilbert chuckled.

"Well, if you're too lazy to say my whole name, then I won't say all of yours, Gil," she shot back playfully.

"Fine by me," he shrugged, "So you want to go out for another training session?"

"But I haven't upheld my part of the bargain yet," Elizaveta pointed out, "For every training session, I have to tutor you on demon hunting stuff."

"You know...I'd rather not," Gilbert scratched his head, not in the mood for studying.

"Would you rather kiss your Class A status goodbye when the exam rolls around?"

"...No..." he sighed, defeated.

"Right then," she smiled as she pulled out one of the books that was set aside on a stack on the table. "Let's start with _The Anatomy of the Soul_. They always have questions on this topic on the exam. So what do you already know about soul anatomy?"

Gilbert thought about it for a moment. "Um...what does 'anatomy' mean again?"

Her face fell considerably. She sighed. "I guess we'll have to start with the basics. Anatomy means structure, or composition. The very, very basic foundation for a soul is its life energy, the energy that sustains us as mortal beings. Demon hunters can summon this energy to make themselves stronger, and to use their soul skills if they have one. But that's not all the soul is. Within the soul is everything that makes us who we are as individuals, it's what makes us different from one another internally. It encompasses all our most treasured memories and our worst ones, because those shape us into who we are."

"Oh yeah, Antonio said something like that when we told me about his skill," Gilbert nodded.

"Yep, that's a very unique skill, though Antonio doesn't like to use it much. He thinks it's a huge invasion of privacy, which it is. Not to mention how messed up seeing all those painful memories can leave you, I'm surprised he can still be so smiley," she remarked thoughtfully, but then moved on. "Emotions and personality are another essential part of the soul. Emotions like love, joy, shame, hope, and respect belong only to those who have souls. Demons can't feel them, and those with black souls lose their ability to feel them as well. The soul also contains negative feelings as well, and those also have an important part in the soul. You know about the Vargas twins, right?" Gilbert nodded grimly. "Well, when the reaper split Lovino's soul, its qualities were divided, his personality rendered incomplete. One part held the more positive emotions, while the other held the more negative side. And well, you know the story..."

"Yeah," Gilbert sighed. "But I didn't know they were the headmaster's grandsons 'til earlier."

"Rumor has it that the headmaster and his son weren't on good terms when he married. Feliciano and Lovino's parents didn't want their sons to grow up living the lives of demon hunters, so they left to a reclusive village. But then the fire demon destroyed the village, and killed their parents along with it. The headmaster never talks about it, but sometimes you can tell by the look on his face that he's thinking about it," Elizaveta murmured. "Fate can be cruel."

"You can say that again," Gilbert agreed sourly.

"Anyway, that's what a soul is made of," she continued, "Now here's the part that's kind of confusing. But the exam always asks a few questions on it. Every soul is joined with its mortal body at birth. A living being's soul is tied to it body by something called an anchor. Not much is actually known about the anchor, but it's an significant part of soul anatomy. When mortals die, the anchor disappears so that their souls can move on to the afterlife, detaching it from the body. When demons attack mortals, they sever the anchor prematurely, which is part of the reason the experience is so painful. Reapers use their scythes to cut the anchors of souls having trouble leaving the mortal world behind."

"Whoa...that's new," Gilbert blinked. For sure, Illedris had never once told him about anchors. "So if I didn't have an anchor my soul would just float out of my body?"

"That's the theory," she nodded, "Your soul would never stay in a body if it didn't anchor itself to one. As much as I hate to bring him up, do you know about Tao?"

"Yeah, Yao's brother, whose soul is missing," he said grudgingly. He flashed back to Mei, crying as she sang that song for him, her lost loved one.

"His soul skill allowed him to remove his anchor of his own accord, allowing his soul and his consciousness to wander without a body. But the most amazing part is, he could reattach his anchor when he wanted to," she explained.

"That all sounds really confusing," Gilbert frowned, his head beginning to ache.

"Gil, are you actually studying for once?"

Gilbert and Elizaveta glanced up to see Ludwig raising an eyebrow at him with an approving look on his face. Feliciano and Kiku stood on either side of him, the Italian smiling and being cheerful as usual, and Kiku halfsmiling with that composed, perfect posture of his.

"Yes, Luddy, I am," Gilbert grinned, "I decided to give this 'school' thing a try so that we can stay here instead of being shipped back home! You should thank me for hardships that come with actually trying."

Ludwig rolled his eyes, but he didn't look annoyed or anything. And frankly, Gilbert got used to people rolling eyes at him and expected it most of the time. "You really like it here, don't you?"

"Yep! The people here are so much cooler than back at the stuffy old village," the albino laughed.

"Is this your brother, Gil? Wow, he looks nothing like you!" Elizaveta giggled, then turned to the blonde. "So what Class are you in?"

A puzzled look came over Ludwig's face. "What do you mean by Class? Do you mean my schedule?"

Gilbert paled, and tried to come up with something to say, while Elizaveta bit her lip in panic, realizing that he was only mundane. Fortunately, Feliciano grabbed his brother's attention before he could ask what they were talking about. "Ve, Ludwig, let's go the cafe already! Alice is baking chocolate brownies today, and I want to get one before they're all gone!" he said eagerly as he tugged on the German's arm. Gilbert wasn't sure if the Italian had done that on purpose, or if he really did just want a brownie.

"Hai, you two go ahead, I'll meet you there in a few mintues," Kiku nodded, and Feliciano grinned as he dragged Ludwig out of the library.

"That was close," Gilbert exhaled in relief.

"Sorry about that," Elizaveta apologized sheepishly.

"Since when did Ludwig start hanging out with you and Feliciano?" Gilbert asked Kiku curiously.

"Feliciano met him when he gave him that tour on the first day, and then he introduced me to your brother while you were on your assignment," Kiku said, "Feliciano has really taken a liking to Ludwig. He's already attached to your brother like best friends."

"Really?" Gilbert chuckled, "But they're so different from each other."

"Then it's probably good for both of them," Kiku remarked thoughtfully, "But I like your brother as well. He's very down-to-earth."

"That's Luddy for you," Gilbert shrugged, "Should I be worried that his two closest friends now are demon hunters?"

"Feliciano won't slip anything, and neither will I," Kiku assured him. "It's an unspoken rule, so you shouldn't be." Gilbert nodded, trusting the Japanese student, who politely said goodbye and went to go join Feliciano and Ludwig in the cafe.

"I think that's enough tutoring for today," Elizaveta said, closing the book.

"Want to go out and spar instead?" Gilbert smirked.

"Stole the words right off my lips," she grinned back.

* * *

After going back to their dorms real quick to change into their training attire, Gilbert and Elizaveta were about to go out into the forest through the iron gate, when someone called Elizaveta's name behind them. They both turned around to see a student with brown, slightly wavy hair, indigo eyes with rectangular glasses, wearing a navy blue overcoat. He had a cowlick in his hair, much like Alfred's, and a sophisticated look about him.

"Elizaveta? What are you doing?" he asked, a bit of skepticism in his voice.

"Just going out to do some extra training," she answered casually.

"Who are you?" Gilbert tilted his head slightly, a small frown on his face.

"Roderich Edelstein. And you're Gilbert, correct? The new Class A student." He said it more as a fact rather than a question, since he already knew the answer. He struck Gilbert as a sort of know-it-all type, who usually believe that they're superior to others. And definitely did not look like a demon hunter.

"Yeah, that's the awesome me!" he replied superciliously, pointing his thumb at himself.

"Pleasure," Roderich nodded slightly to be polite, but he didn't sound like it was a pleasure to meet Gilbert at all. He turned to Elizaveta again, "You're going into the forest? By yourselves?"

"Yeah," she answered off-handedly, "Like I said, Gilbert's giving me combat lessons."

"Elizaveta..." Roderich sighed hopelessly.

Gilbert, for a reason that was really unknown to him, cracked a smile. "You talk to her like you're her dad or something."

"What? N-no, I don't," Roderich stammered, surprised and a bit mortified.

"Gilbert! Don't be mean," Elizaveta tried, but realized that she couldn't stop Gilbert from running his mouth.

"Sorry," he chuckled, though he didn't really mean it, "But seriously, there's nothing to be worried about, the forest is fine! We're just going to train for a little while."

"Why are you dead set on training?" Roderich frowned at Elizaveta.

"Because I'm going to get into Class A someday," she declared zealously, "And that day is coming up, I can feel it!"

"Elizaveta..." the Austrian started, but trailed off uncertainly. Meanwhile, the Hungarian girl grabbed Gilbert's wrist and headed out the iron gate, leaving Roderich staring after them with a concerned expression.

"What was that all about?" Gilbert asked once they were almost to the clearing.

"Roderich thinks that I shouldn't move up to Class A," she sighed as the two finally entered their training area. "He doesn't like the idea of me taking so many lessons from you."

"Why? Does he feel threatened by my pure awesomeness?" Gilbert simpered with a cocky grin.

"What? That doesn't even make sense," she said, giving him a sideways glance. "I don't know why. Anyway, we going to train now, or what?"

"Right, let's get started," he agreed, taking his fighting stance. She beamed, excited, and matched his form.

* * *

The next three weeks flew by faster than Gilbert would have ever guessed. Daily life at the Academy began to settle into a relaxing routine for the albino. First he would wake up at the same time with all the other Class A demon hunters to attend Mr. Karpusi's theoretic soul class for the first two periods, which, surprisingly, kept Gilbert fascinated and for the most part held his attention for longer than half an hour, and then the Class A students would move on the Mr. Adnan's combat lessons and team matches. And Gilbert thought he had the right to say he was a damn good demon hunter. He and whoever his partner was for the specific match either won barely (that was to be expected, since it was Class A after all) or lost by the tiniest of mistakes. The only person he could never manage to come even close to overtaking was Ivan, due to his soul skill. Arthur almost always beat him too, but not every single time, and Gilbert would make sure it wasn't an easy win for the Brit. Alfred was one tough opponent as well, not one to go down so simply, and often would emerge victor as well.

As the days came and went, more assignments were handed out, and apparently a demon hunter in Class A received roughly one assignment per month. Gilbert, Yong Soo and Natalya had already completed theirs for the month, and not long after Alfred And Kiku left and returned with a new tale to tell about defeating an arachnid demon. Kim and Francis set out to destroy a jaguar demon that was ravaging the country side, but apparently it wasn't that hard, because they returned right away. Arthur and Antonio went on their assignment the week after, and came back a little roughed up from a wailing banshee. Ivan and Yao were the last to receive this month's assignment, which was a major demon like Gilbert's first assignment, the demon of greed, Avaritia. Those two were gone the longest, a full two and a half days, and returned with multiple injuries, though no serious, fatal ones. Alice's herbal concoctions were able to bring them back to tip top shape within a day or so, however.

After class got out, Gilbert would meet Elizaveta in the library, either for tutoring (which wasn't as bad as Gilbert initially thought it would be) or for training lessons in the forest. Their arrangement was a plus for them both; Elizaveta suddenly became one of Class B's best and brightest demon hunters, which she was ecstatic about, and Gilbert didn't even have to worry when Mr. Karpusi suddenly dropped a pop quiz, since Elizaveta's tutoring strengthened his understanding of demon hunting subjects.

Once they were done learning from the other for the day, Gilbert would meet up with Antonio and Francis, if they weren't off on an assignment, and just keep themselves busy on campus. They often flirted with other girls, most of them just mundane, but slowly Gilbert realized that talking to them wasn't the same as talking to Elizaveta. It just didn't have the same appeal. It scared Gilbert a little, to be completely honest, that he could get attached to a single person, a single girl, that way. He tried not to think about it much, though.

But the best part of those three weeks, the absolute best part, was that Illedris didn't contact Gilbert at all. It was the longest Gilbert had ever gone without seeing his she demon master ever since he made the soul deal. For once, he could convince himself, if only temporarily, that he was at least a little free. That his life could, maybe, be his own. Gilbird was enjoying this down time of freedom from her as well. The Ouroboros Mark hadn't stung or burned for a whole three weeks, and Gilbert was able to ignore it completely when he was out with his friends or in class or with Elizaveta. And it felt awesome.

Gilbert also got to know his fellow demon hunters better without having to worry about Illedris's treacherous orders. He, Antonio, and Francis forged an unbreakable bond in such a short time, and they were practically inseparable. He and Elizaveta often taunted each other over silly things, and once in a while they would seriously argue again, but in the end they would find some way to laugh it off. Respect for his fellow classmates grew immensely over time. They were all really cool people, and many of them had lived through tragedy and had come out even stronger. Gilbert even met some of the demon hunters from other classes, and he didn't look down on them just because he was in a higher Class ranking.

Ludwig grew to like the Venator Academy as well, and soon enough was always found with Feliciano and Kiku after school. He made other friends as well, but the only problem for Gilbert was that many of his brother's new friends were secretly demon hunters. He wondered if that was coincidence or not, or if it was because Gilbert was just acquainted with all these demon hunters so it was inevitable that they meet Ludwig as well. But Gilbert just shrugged it off, as long as no one exposed anything to do with demon hunting to his younger brother.

Every so often, Gilbert would run into Roderich again. The Austrian was really fun to mess with, Gilbert soon found, and the albino would often annoy him until Roderich came up with a witty come back that Gilbert couldn't refute. The two seemed to really butt heads most of the time for no apparent reason, but deep down inside, they each were a little jealous of each other. Because, of course, if they had one thing in common, it was Elizaveta. Neither of them admitted their feelings over her outright, and Gilbert wasn't even really sure how he felt about her, but he felt that Roderich held a lot of her attention, too much of it, and no doubt Roderich felt the same about him.

And one day on the fourth week, Roderich asked Gilbert to meet him in the cafe at twilight that night. Gilbert was puzzled, and showed up out of curiosity more than anything. Roderich was there already, punctual, as expected, sitting at a table in the corner. Gilbert took the seat across from him. "What's this about?" the albino raised an eyebrow.

"Look, Gilbert," he started, a little restlessly, "I need you to stop giving Elizaveta those training lessons."

"What?" Gilbert blinked, caught off guard, "Why would I do that?"

"Because...because they're working," Roderich sighed, not sure how to voice his thoughts.

"Well, of course they're working! She's got to be the best female fighter in Class B. And soon she'll be in Class A," Gilbert grinned.

"That's the problem! She can't move up to Class A," Roderich shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Listen, I'm one of the two Class B representatives on the Hunter's Student Council. Not much about Class B students escapes me. If she moves up to Class A, she'll have to face major demons, and she'll be killed! Her soul skill's not good enough to help her survive those assignments."

"That's what this is about? That's bullshit," Gilbert objected, "She can be as good as any of the Class A hunters without some crazy soul skill. I think she could handle whatever assignment the Academy has to throw at her once she's had enough practice."

"There are some things that just can't be done," Roderich insisted, "I just don't want her to die, okay? I don't want some demon to take her soul because she wasn't ready!"

"That won't happen, because she's better than that. You'd only be holding her back. If she wants to be one of the best demon hunters one day, then, hell, who are we to stop her? It wouldn't be fair to her."

"Think about her safety," he maintained seriously, "You need to stop bringing her hopes up before she does something stupid!"

"I see where you're coming from," Gilbert said firmly, "but living like that, living so cautiously that you can't even aim for your dreams, that's not the demon hunting life! That's not the life I would live, and that's not Elizaveta's either. I'll stop teaching her when she wants me to."

Roderich stood up abruptly to leave in frustration, "Both of you are just too reckless." With that, he left the cafe, and Gilbert just watched from his seat in spite.

He sat there for a moment, thinking about what the Austrian said, but Gilbert's mind didn't change. Alice appeared at his table all of a sudden, and Gilbert was so lost in thought that he didn't notice her for a few seconds. She set a cup of hot chocolate on his table, startling him. "I didn't order that..." he blinked.

"It's on the house," Alice waved off with a small smile. "Don't be too mad at Roderich. He's just trying to do what he thinks is right."

"But who does he think he is? Trying to control her life like that..." Gilbert muttered.

"All of the hunters within a Class are like family to each other," Alice said compassionately, "You'd agree that everyone in Class A treats each other and cares for each other like family, right? Well, it's no different for B and C and even D. But, you see, the class representatives see themselves as the head of those families. They feel it's their job to take responsibility for their Class members. I know Kim feels that way for your Class, and Arthur may not show it, but he does too. Roderich just doesn't want to lose any members of his Class family to brash decisions."

"That makes sense, I guess," Gilbert sighed, taking a sip of his drink. He glanced up at her, putting the mug back down, "You put something in this, didn't you?"

Alice winked, "It's a less concentrated mix of what I give Yong Soo when he...you know, acts up. It makes your soul feel more at peace and reasonable." On that note, she went back to the counter to make more drinks and ring up people's orders. Gilbert stayed in the cafe for a while until he finished his drink. It tasted like hot chocolate, rich and creamy, except that it left him feeling content and tranquil, which wasn't really common for the albino. He was used to being out and about animatedly, always keeping himself busy. In the back of his mind he thought about going to find Antonio and Francis, but he didn't feel like getting up yet. There was no rush, really.

A couple of mundane girls entered the cafe, giggling and gossiping excitedly. As they went up to the register, they threw adoring looks Gilbert's way. He pretended not to notice, playing coy. The girls always ogle him after that. He looked back down at his empty mug, trying to decide if he should be angry with Roderich. However, as the mundane girls bought their drinks and headed towards the door, one of them lingered behind, and drifted to Gilbert's table. He glanced up to see that it was Michelle, the Seychellois girl that Francis had a huge thing for.

"Hey," she smiled warmly, "You're Gilbert, right? One of the Bad Touch Trio?"

"One of the _what_?" Gilbert sputtered, a bit confused.

"Oh. I guess you don't that that's what the rest of the school calls you and your two friends," she giggled with a knowing grin.

Bad Touch Trio? As in Antonio, Francis and himself? Because they were just that good-looking and awesome? Gilbert pondered this for a brief second, then found that he actually liked the sound of that. "You know, I'm okay with that," he laughed. "It has a nice ring to it." The girls just couldn't get enough of them, could they?

"So you're like, good friends with Francis, right?" Michelle asked curiously.

"Yeah, why? Interested?"

"Well, he flirts with just about anyone who wears a bra," she frowned slightly, "But rumor has it that he kind of, maybe actually likes me...but I don't even want to consider him if I'm just another girl to him."

"You want me to tell you the truth?" Gilbert inquired. Michelle nodded expectantly, but Gilbert didn't know what to say. Truth was, Francis acted like he was head over heels for her, but knew he couldn't have a serious relationship with a mundane. On the contrary, Gilbert really did think that was a stupid notion. What should it matter if she was mundane or not if he really did care about her? Gilbert's father was a demon hunter and his mother was mundane. But...could Gilbert make that call for Francis? Perhaps he should let Francis decide for himself. "Why don't you just ask him for yourself? I'm sure he'd give you an answer."

"You mean you think I should just go up to him and bluntly ask whether or not he's into me?" she clarified with a quizzical expression on her face.

Gilbert halfsmiled and nodded, "Yep, sounds like a good plan to me!"

"But-" she started, but was cut off when Alfred burst into the cafe and looked around quickly. His face lit up when he saw Gilbert.

"There you are!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. Then he saw that he was in the middle of a conversation with Michelle, and said to her, "Sorry, but I gotta take Gilbert with me." Without waiting for her answer or even bothering to tell Gilbert what was going on, Alfred grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the cafe within seconds. At a quick pace, the strong American pulled him along the cobblestone paths under the dark sky.

"Alfred! What are you doing? Where are we going?" Gilbert huffed, forced to keep up since he held his wrist.

"To the Hunter's Gym to see Karpusi. We've been given an emergency assignment," he explained quickly.

"Why? What's going on?"

"There's a demon gone berserk along the coast to the West. It's devouring souls at a crazy fast rate and it's up to us to stop it, dude!"

"Finally, something exciting to do," Gilbert smirked. "Do you know what kind of demon?"

"It's another major one, the demon called Nidor."

* * *

From the Author: Another imaginative and informative chapter topped off with a small cliffhanger~

Roderich is Austria. Romulus is Rome. Alice is Belgium, Michelle is Seychelles.

So this was another set-up chapter, but things get switched up a bit next chapter, I give you my word, which will probably be released a week from now, Lots of info in this chap, but I set up the Axis trio, a friendship I absolutely love! I also set up the Frying Pangle Trio, which is sort of a love triangle... I guess :) Pruhun or Aushun...I wonder which... ;)

Anyways, thanks for all the follows, favorites, reviews, and even just reading my story! All your reviews are specially appreciated! It means more than you think to a writer like me! Until next chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Hetalia's not mine!

* * *

Not even forty-five minutes later, Gilbert and Alfred were sitting down in the school's subway, heading West towards the coast. Mr. Karpusi had quickly informed them of their assignment before sending them away immediately. Gilbert didn't even have time to prepare, but then again he didn't need much besides the clothes on his back and his soul skill.

Apparently this assignment was even more important than Alfred had initially let on. Karpusi was a bit stressed as he put the two students up to date, and even wanted to put a third party member on their team, but all the other Class A students were either on their own assignment already or recovering from their last one. But Gilbert wasn't too worried; he and Alfred were perfectly capable of handling any major demon that was out there, at least in his opinion. After all, the two were some of the best Class A had to offer.

"So, what's the deal with this demon Nidor?" Gilbert asked as the subway began to speed off to their destination, at a faster speed than usual since this was an emergency.

"Not much is actually known about him," Alfred frowned, "All I really know is that his name is Latin for odor, or reek."

"Well, that sounds just lovely," Gilbert grimaced sarcastically.

"Yeah, he usually doesn't pose much of a threat to mortals and just lays low for the most part, but now he's decided to take out a whole village within hours, so that's why we have to stop him before he gets to another."

"Right," he nodded, " I'm sure we can beat him."

"Hey Gilbert...can I ask you something?" Alfred asked suddenly, his voice a bit nervous, which was weird because Gilbert had never seen him anything but vivacious and hyper.

"Shoot," the albino nodded curiously.

"Do you remember a lot about your parents?"

Well that was certainly a random question. But the look on Alfred's face was more than nervous now, it seemed to be strained, as if he had been doing a lot of serious thinking lately. "...Not a whole lot. I was four when they were killed. I remember my dad's voice and his face clearly, and my mom too. But what I remember most about them was their laughter and their smiles. Ludwig gets a little jealous that I can remember that much but he can't."

"Oh," Alfred sighed, pushing his glasses up closer to his face. "At least you can remember something. I was two when my parents left me at the orphanage, but I can't remember a single thing about either of them, and it makes me so mad at myself sometimes."

"Mad at yourself?" Gilbert echoed, perplexed. If anything, Alfred should be mad at his parents for leaving him there in the first place!

"Yeah, I feel like I should at least be able to remember something! Maybe I'm just too stupid like everyone says."

Now Gilbert was truly surprised. He had never once heard the American so downhearted, much less insult himself. He felt obligated to cheer his partner up, "Don't be like that, man. Luddy was three and he can barely remember our parents' faces. I don't think you could have remembered them if you were only two. Besides, I honestly don't think you should be dwelling on yours so much. If they didn't have the heart to raise you themselves, then they aren't worth your time or so much as a fleeting thought. We've got an important assignment to worry about right now!"

"...You're right, I gotta get my head in the game if I'm going to be the hero!" Alfred beamed, returning to his normal, exuberant self.

"That's more like it," Gilbert grinned. He didn't usually give pep talks, but hey, he was awesome at turning the mood around. "Let's kick some demon ass."

* * *

The two got off at the very last stop West, since their assignment was supposedly still on the coast. The subway didn't go all the way to the coastal region, though, so Gilbert and Alfred were forced to travel using the worn-down dirt roads on foot for at least ten miles. It was the past midnight, and the usually-starry sky was darkened by clouds that also covered the moon. Alfred was able to summon some of his soul energy to his hands to create that bluish glow to light their path. Gilbert manifested a simple flashlight as well. Even though they were alone, walking the eerie road, Gilbert wasn't the least bit worried. He traveled in the dark so often it was second nature to him; Illedris's cave back at his old home was never illuminated, and he often did her bidding for her while the sun was down.

The winding road led them through plains and over small hills, and was rather boring and uneventful for the most part. Finally, when they had covered at least seven miles, they decided to jog the last three, which would lead them to a small, local village that was near the place where Nidor was last seen. Soon enough, when Gilbert saw the sign indicating that the village was just over the next hill, he slowed his pace again, and Alfred caught up five minutes later, panting. "Man, that was tiring!"

Gilbert chuckled, "Kesesese, maybe you should lay off the fast food or something. I'm surprised you're still that thin."

Alfred laughed, "Dude, don't you start sounding like Arthur too. He thinks I'll get diabetes one day, but I can get away with eating whatever I want. Actually, Mr. Karpusi says that my metabolism's insanely fast for some reason. He thinks it might have something to do with my mystery soul skill."

"Weird," Gilbert replied, thinking back to what Illedris said about hearing a "rumor along the wind" or something, regarding Alfred's bizarre soul skill. But he dismissed the thought right away. "Anyway, let's get going already, once we've reached the village, maybe we can ask around to see if any of the townspeople know where the demon might be hiding."

"We can't let the mundane mortals know about demon," Alfred pointed out. "But we can ask if anything strange has happened nearby. The village Nidor attacked yesterday is supposed to be another fifteen miles north from here."

"Alright. It's still really late out, though," Gilbert frowned, "We might have to just ask around tomorrow."

"I bet there are still some inn keepers still up. We could start by asking them, and then we can scope out the surrounding areas and work our way north," Alfred suggested. "And while we're asking the inn keepers, we can ask for a hot chocolate or something!"

"Minus the hot coco part, it sounds like a good plan," the albino nodded, though now that he thought about it, hot chocolate did have a nice appeal to it this time of night. "Let's go."

The pair quickly made it over the hill and entered the village, which was comprised of many short buildings in a tight-knit community. There weren't many resident homes, Gilbert noticed, and a few different inns and motels along with pit-stop supply shops. It was probably the kind of place where many travelers passed through while on their way to a bigger destination, he realized, but then...there was something off. He could feel it in the air, a certain ominous, foreboding atmosphere hung over the whole village.

"Do you feel that?" Alfred whispered, his muscles tensing. "Something's wrong here..."

Gilbert nodded, "Yeah. It's way too quiet. There's not a single light on anywhere here. Not even any street lamps are on. You'd think that some of the inns would have their lights on to invite any late night travelers." As he spoke, he shined his flashlight on the buildings in the vicinity. They all appeared to be vacant homes and deserted shops. Then he realized that many of the doors were slightly ajar, like someone had broken the locks to all of them, while other homes looked as if they had been abandoned with haste.

"HELLO! ANYONE OUT THERE?!" Alfred called out loudly, startling Gilbert who didn't see it coming. Gilbert would have been slightly annoyed given any other situation, but was disconcerted when there was not a single reply. No one even stuck their head out the window to tell him to shut up.

"What the hell? Where is everyone?" Gilbert furrowed his brow.

"W-we should go to the town square," Alfred suggested meekly, "Sometimes they have bulletins that explain the latest news. Maybe the authorities ordered a quick evacuation after hearing about the last village."

"Okay," Gilbert said, but then bit his lip. A queasiness was beginning to form inside his stomach, but he forced himself to ignore it. They continued past the empty edifices until finally they came across the main plaza, which during any other time of day would have looked amazing. Several welcoming buildings rose up around the piazza, but now in the dark the loneliness of it all just made it even more unnerving. "Do you see a bulletin? Or a sign or something?" he asked, squinting his red eyes, but seeing nothing of interest.

"H-hey, Gilbert," Alfred stammered, looking in a different direction, his glowing outstretched hand pointing a few yards in front of him. "Shine your flashlight over here...I think I see something, but...I don't know what it is yet."

Gilbert did as he asked, flashing his light on what he thought to be the silhouette of a pile of garbage bags heaped up against the wall of the town hall. He had seen it when they entered the plaza, but overlooked it, thinking that maybe it was just trash waiting to be picked up by the garbage truck or something, because that's how it was in his old village.

But it wasn't people's unwanted junk.

Their blue and red eyes widened once they saw the lifeless corpses mounded on top of each other, many of them drenched in blood. There had to be at least twenty of them, dead, broken, beginning to rot. Men, women, children, whoever had killed them didn't discriminate. Gilbert recoiled instinctively, resisting the urge to gag, the sight absolutely, horrendously sickening. How could he have missed that?! Alfred, too, took a couple steps back, shuddering uncontrollably in revulsion.

"Damnit," Gilbert whispered sharply, his voice shaky and full of regret, "We're too late."

"All these people," Alfred muttered, full of guilt and sorrow, "All their souls have been devoured."

"That bastard!" Gilbert growled in frustration, balling his fist. How could he have let this happen? Why hadn't they been here earlier? They could have saved all these innocent people! His gaze found the face of a slaughtered child, no older than eight years old, his face still holding an expression of fear and agony. And suddenly he saw Ludwig when he was just a kid, and imagined what would have happened if the soul deal had not been made that day. Ludwig probably would have worn that same frightening expression.

"The blood..." Alfred murmured, gritting his teeth, "It's still wet. This didn't happen too long ago. They were killed a few hours ago, if I had to guess. I can't believe I didn't notice it before! I've seen dead bodies before, and normally...you can smell the decaying flesh..."

"You're right," Gilbert frowned, confused, "I don't smell anything out of the ordinary, and we're standing so close to them."

"Silly humans! The extent of your stupidity always astounds me," a deep, coarse voice rumbled from across the plaza.

Gilbert and Alfred whirled around in alarm to see one of the most repulsive creatures Gilbert had ever laid eyes one. The demon was anthropoid and was slightly larger than a grown man, that much was certain, but he had an octopus's head, massive tentacles and all, like some nasty, disgusting beard of rubbery feelers. His body was scaly and on his four fingers of each hand were piercing claws.

"The fuck is that thing?" Gilbert exclaimed, grimacing involuntarily.

"That is one ugly dude," Alfred cringed at the sight of him.

"Silence, puny mortals! You should be trembling in fear before me!" the monster snarled irately.

"I was so grossed out by your hideousness that I forgot to be scared," Alfred smirked at the demon, and even Gilbert cracked a smile at that one.

"Insolent mortal!" the thing roared, "Bow down before Nidor, the Cthulhu demon!"

"You're the one who murdered all these people, aren't you?" Gilbert shouted, his temper flaring. "We're demon hunters of the Venator Academy, here to send you back to fires of the Underworld!"

"Demon hunters, eh?" Nidor let out a malicious, chilling laugh. "There's a reason I haven't been defeated yet. No mere mortal can withstand my demon power, and I'm tired of residing in the depths of the ocean! If you haven't heard, the dawn of the new era is coming, demon hunter, and the day is near when demons shall rule these lands, feasting on souls whenever we please, and your precious little Academy will be in ruins!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, but that's not going to happen!" Alfred seethed, "If you think the Venator Academy's going to fall that easily, then you've got another thing coming!"

"Ha! The Academy's days are numbered," Nidor cackled, "But in your case, neither of you have another sun rise. Your souls are mine!" Suddenly, all of his tentacles fanned out, revealing a gaping hole that apparently served as the monster's mouth. A thick, dense, vaporous cloud seeped out, quickly expanding and spreading throughout the plaza. Within seconds, Gilbert could no longer see more than two feet in front of him, and the fog was too compact for his flashlight to be of any use, so he dissolved it into that dust-like substance.

"What is this? A smoke screen?" he yelled, "You coward!" He tensed, and kept himself alert, searching the fog in vain for his enemy, who could attack him from any direction at this point.

Nidor chuckled evilly. "Not just a smoke screen. Any minute now..."

"Wha-" Gilbert started, but never got to finish. His eyes began to tear up out of nowhere, stinging like crazy. It became hard to breathe, and a coughing fit abruptly came over him. And then his head began to spin, and he took a wobbly step back, feeling terribly dizzy. No longer able to keep his balance, he dropped to his hands and knees, trying desperately to reorient himself. His face felt hot and sweaty, as if he had a strong fever. He couldn't see Alfred anymore, but figured the vapor was doing the same to him too.

And then came the smell, that putrid, rancid stench that overcame all of his other senses. It was like a mixture of rotten eggs, decaying flesh, manure, and an open septic tank, only it reeked ten times stronger and ten times worse. Immediately, he covered his nose, but it was no use. He had to force himself not to thinking about puking, and managed to choke out, "What's happening to me?!"

Nidor's voice echoed throughout the plaza, "This vapor targets human senses, overwhelming them to the point that they can no longer struggle. It's intoxicating, isn't it?" He laughed again as Gilbert tried his hardest to forget about the smell, his dizziness, and the fever that was sapping his strength, but to no avail. The demon was right; it was just too much all at once. Soon it became an endeavor just to think clearly. The migraine began to envelop his thoughts, and the fetid odor was the only thing that he could focus on.

No, he couldn't go out this way! It was pathetic! To be beaten by this disgusting creature and his smell. He was better than that, wasn't he? He could break Metus's spell but couldn't get over some stupid scent? What the hell! As Gilbert struggled to sit up straight, the demon appeared before him, his slimy tentacles shaking as he chuckled cruelly. "Now you know why no mortal has ever been able to defeat me," Nidor simpered. "You and your friend may be demon hunters, but you're still human. You still have that weak, flesh body that is only so easy to kill! Now you die!" Nidor cocked his arm back, his claws extended and ready to slice open Gilbert's chest and take his soul, and Gilbert could barely sit up, much less stand. Not even his arms were responsive. The toxin in the vapor was too poisonous. His vision was blurry, but even he could see that there was no way he could defend himself like this.

"Get away from my friend!" Alfred's voice demanded, and suddenly, that familiar bluish glow came charging in from the left, and the American appeared leaping out from the fog, slamming his fist into the side of the cthulhu's octopus head.

The demon was sent tumbling quite a ways upon impact of Alfred's punch, and once Nidor was out of the way, Alfred knelt down by his partner. "Gil? You okay? Sorry it took so long, it was hard for me to see in this fog at first, but my eyes are adjusted now!"

"How...can you...move?" Gilbert wheezed, the crippling vapor still filling his lungs.

"Huh? Oh...I guess his gas doesn't affect me or something," Alfred shrugged.

"Impossible!" Nidor thundered somewhere from their right. "No mere human can withstand my vapor! Not even demon hunters!"

"Well, I guess I'm the exception! I am the hero, after all!" Alfred gave his trademark grin in the direction of the demon's voice. Gilbert didn't know how, but apparently Alfred could see the demon through the smoke screen as well.

Alfred glanced down worriedly at Gilbert. "We got to get you out of here, dude. You look awful."

"Shut...up," Gilbert tried to snap at him, but failed utterly.

Then, perhaps a miracle out of sheer luck, the wind began to blow harder, taking the vaporous fog with it. The cloud of poisonous gas gradually diffused out along the wind's current, and the air became clearer again. Gilbert's eyes ceased to sting, and his breathing returned to normal, though he still felt a little woozy with the toxin still in his system. The wind suddenly stopped as quick as it came. How about that.

Nidor stood on the other end of the plaza, glaring at them loathingly. "Scrawny humans, I'll just have to terminate you the old-fashioned way," Nidor spat.

"Go ahead and try!" Alfred grinned, his glasses glinting with excitement. His soul energy rushed into his hands, emitting that soft blue radiance.

"Your soul is unusually powerful," Nidor narrowed his beady fish eyes. "What are you?"

"I'm Alfred F. Jones, demon hunter of the Venator Academy, and the one who's going to destroy you!" Alfred offered a hand to Gilbert and helped him on his feet. Gilbert took a deep breath, and steadied his stance. His migraine had faded to a throbbing headache, but he paid no attention to it, and tried to keep his battle instincts keen and alert. "What do you say, Gilbert? Can you fight?"

"Yeah, don't worry about me," Gilbert nodded while glowering at the demon, holding out his hand to create another one of his favorite weapons, a curved blade called a scimitar, like the swords pirates use.

"Fools," Nidor growled gruffly, "You cannot kill me. I am a Cthulhu!" Abruptly, two reptilian wings sprouted from his back and fanned out just before the demon took flight.

Gilbert cursed, keeping his eyes on the monster as it hovered above the plaza. "That thing can fly?!" Alfred exclaimed in alarm, "That's just not fair!"

The demon swooped down, his claws outstretched and aimed to impale his prey, and Gilbert and Alfred barely rolled out of the way in time. Just as Gilbert was getting back on his feet, Nidor came back around and Gilbert deflected his razor sharp claws with his scimitar that the last moment, but the demon's momentum was too much. He was knocked off his feet, and tumbled backwards, but manage to keep a hold of his weapon. The cthulhu landed with a haughty look on his fish eyes, but Alfred was there in a flash, throwing punches and jabs with his soul skill. The monster was strong and bulky, but not swift nor nimble. Since he could not dodge all of Alfred's attacks, he was forced to take to the air again, spreading his dragon wings. But Alfred wasn't going to let him get away that easily. He grabbed onto the demon's legs just before Nidor took off.

"Get off of me, you scum!" Nidor snarled, kicking his legs to shake Alfred off, but the American was too persistent, determined to keep holding on.

"Never!" Alfred shouted, and the demon began to fly in rapid circles, loops, and other patterns to loosen Alfred's grip, but this demon hunter was just too stubborn. Gilbert got back on his feet once more, only to look up and mutter disapprovingly, "Really, Alfred?" What did he think he was going to do from that position?

Finally Nidor made some progress when he slammed Alfred into the wall of the town hall, and the American fell to the ground with a distinct thud. "Get up, Al, we have to do this together!" Gilbert called, brandishing his scimitar.

"Right," Alfred nodded as he stood up and shifted into a boxing stance. He glanced over at Gilbert again with a slight smirk, "You thinking what I'm thinking?" He gestured to Nidor, who still flew over the plaza, assessing them.

A grin passed over Gilbert's lips, "That drill that Adnan showed us last week?"

Alfred nodded with enthusiasm. Then he turned to Nidor and yelled, "Hey, you ugly swamp donkey!" Gilbert resisted the urge to facepalm. That was one way to get the enemy's attention... Alfred continued, "Over here, fugmo! I don't think I can ever eat a piece of calamari ever again after seeing your disgusting face!"

"Calamari is squid, idiot, not octopus," Gilbert muttered under his breath, but let Alfred do his thing.

"Impudent mortal!" Nidor bellowed angrily, vein popping. "You think you can insult a major demon an get away with it! I'll rip that mouth right off your face!" Then the demon dove down to skewer Alfred with his claws.

"Now!" Alfred shouted, and Gilbert took his cue. Sprinting towards Alfred, whose back was to him, Gilbert readied his scimitar and made sure his timing was positively perfect. As the demon sped towards his American target, Alfred crouched down fast and tensed as Gilbert jumped up from behind his partner, using Alfred's back as a springboard, and hurled himself at Nidor, who didn't see it coming. Before the cthulhu could switch directions, Gilbert clashed with the demon in mid air, driving his blade deep into the monster's cranium. As Gilbert stuck the landing, the cthulhu disintegrated into dust and salt water.

"That was so cool!" Alfred cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

"We're awesome," Gilbert agreed with a grin, letting his weapon dissolve. His lungs still ached, and his head was throbbing a little, but at least the demon was gone. Abruptly, Alfred stopped cheering, and his smile faded. "What's wrong?" Gilbert frowned, and followed his gaze to the top of the town hall. Then he, too, blinked in surprise.

Sitting on the ledge of the town hall's roof was a young girl, about the age of eleven. Even though it was dark out, her features clearly stood out in the moonlight. Her silky brown hair was fastened into a short, curly side ponytail, with a small, pink flower tucked in her scrunchie. She wore brown shorts, a white tank top with a pink smock over, and a bright red ascot around her neck. Her golden-brown eyes seemed to sparkle inquisitively, as she sat there nonchalantly, like she had been watching the fight all along. There was a amused expression on her face, like she had just seen something extremely entertaining.

"Who are you?" Alfred called, tilting his head in confusion.

The girl looked startled as Alfred's words, and regarded them with a puzzled look this time. "Wait...you can see me?" she asked curiously.

"Of course we can," Gilbert raised an eyebrow. "Have you been there the whole time? Are you a survivor from Nidor's attack?"

"Well, this is certainly a pleasant surprise," the girl giggled. "Though, I suppose some demon hunters have souls strong enough to see the unseen."

Demon hunters? She knew about them? Who was this girl? Gilbert was about the ask, when the girl suddenly leapt down from her ledge to the ground, which was at least a thirty feet fall. Shit, was she insane? Gilbert was about to rush to catch her from what was sure to be death, but the girl didn't fall...at least, not like normal people. She floated down gently, definitely defying gravity, until her feet gingerly reached the ground of the plaza.

"You...aren't human, are you?" Alfred inquired peculiarly. The girl beamed up at him and shook her head.

"Nope! I'm surprised you can see me! That makes my night three times more interesting!" she laughed adorably. "I came here to see if any souls needed help leaving the mortal world. I didn't think there would be any, but I thought maybe Nidor missed one. He missed two in the last village, believe it or not. But when I came here and saw you guys fighting the demon, I decided to stay and watch. But with all that fog, it was hard to see, so I brought the wind for a moment so I could get a better view."

"No way," Gilbert's eyes widened, his voice full of awe, "You...you're a reaper!" She had save him from the vapor! He wondered why she appeared to be a little girl, but he vaguely remembered Elizaveta giving him a short lecture on reapers, saying that they could take the form of whatever they pleased.

"Well, of course I am, dummy!" she bubbled merrily, "I'm the reaper Paulette! And you're hunters from the Venator Academy, right? Wow, I haven't spoken to a hunter in like, forever! Mainly because they can't see me, but still."

"How come we can see you?" Alfred wondered aloud.

"Because your souls are resilient, I guess," Paulette shrugged. "Actually..." She looked them over carefully, "Both your souls are...unique." Her gaze lingered on Gilbert for a moment, and he realized she could see his soul like Kiku could, and she could see that black splotch left by Illedris. He was afraid she would say something in front of Alfred, but she didn't. Instead, she turned her gaze to Alfred and put a broad smile on her face again, "But you already knew that, didn't you Alfred?"

"What? You know my name?" Alfred blinked.

Paulette nodded like it was no big deal, "All the reapers know your name, of course! Quite the controversy, you are."

"What do mean by controversy?" he frowned, scratching his head, perplexed.

Now Paulette's expression disappeared and she considered him carefully, "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

Paulette looked at him inquisitively, " Didn't you think it was strange that Nidor's vapor didn't affect you, when it's supposed to target all humans? Haven't you ever wondered why you're so much stronger than the others? Haven't you ever wondered why your soul is so much more powerful? When Nidor asked what you were, you answered with your name, but he wasn't asking for your name, he was trying to figure out what kind of mortal creature you were. Did you ever think for a second that, maybe, you aren't totally human?"

"Holy crap..." Gilbert muttered, the answer dawning on him. Alfred wasn't...

"W-what are you say?" Alfred stammered, shock coming over him.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Paulette giggled, "Alfred, you're the son of a reaper!"

* * *

From the Author: How I love writing the actiony parts~ So much fun! Anyways, if you don't know what a cthulhu is, you can google it. They're pretty weird and scary...BTW, this chapter is partly dedicated to my little brother, who gave me the idea to use that kind of monster ( he thinks they're cool).

Paulette is Wy, just a little FYI.

Like the twist? :) Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following! All reviews are appreciated and taken into consideration, I promise! Thanks and until next chapter!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Hetalia is not owned by me in any way. Period.

* * *

"I'm the son of a reaper? That's...whoa!" Alfred shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm surprised none of your teachers ever figured it out yet," Paulette speculated casually, as if she were talking about some evident fact, "But, you have to admit that's pretty cool."

"It does sound cool," Alfred agreed, "But I still can't believe it!"

"Yeah, I thought reapers didn't get caught up with mortal affairs?" Gilbert frowned, recalling what he knew about the mysterious beings, and finding it incredible that this little girl in front of him was one.

"We don't. At least, we're not supposed to, but hey, everyone makes mistakes," Paulette shrugged, "And sometimes being immortal can get kind of boring, you know? So I don't mind when someone mixes it up a bit. In fact, I'm not even supposed to be talking to you right now, but then again, it's not every day I meet a mortal who can see me."

"Wait, does that mean you know my parents?" Alfred asked excitedly, barely able to contain himself.

"I don't know about your dad, but I know your mom," she nodded, "Akira's a great reaper, very passionate about our work. She loves humanity, but perhaps a little too much."

"What do you mean?" Alfred frowned slightly at her last remark.

"Well, she can do some pretty 'unconventional' things sometimes," Paulette replied, making air quotes with her fingers. "Out of sympathy. She bends the rules a lot, and even comes really close to breaking our mandate as reapers."

"Like what kind of things?" Gilbert ventured curiously.

"Like this one time not too long ago actually, she split this kid's soul so that he could save his brother! I mean, what was she thinking? Letting him do that to his own soul," Paulette shook her head disapprovingly, "That could have ended badly, but she let her feelings get the better of her."

Gilbert and Alfred exchanged knowing glances, recognizing that story from a pair of twins at the Academy.

"But seriously, when she had you, there was all kinds of chaos!" Paulette continued, "You don't know how many rules she broke when you were born, and how many more she had to break to keep you alive! I thought Juan was going to blow an artery or two. He was unbelievably mad, and the others were pretty ticked off, too."

"How come?" Gilbert asked intriguingly.

"Because it's forbidden to have an affair with mortals, even demon hunters, not to mention have a kid with one!" she exasperated, as if it were common knowledge. "In fact, there was this huge debate on whether or not we should kill you," she added thoughtfully, directed towards Alfred, who looked taken aback.

"Kill me? What for, dude?! I didn't do anything wrong when I was a baby!"

"Just by being alive you were doing something wrong," Paulette sighed, which really didn't help Alfred feel any better. Gilbert clapped his partner's back out of mock pity. "Most of the reapers were convinced you'd be a loose cannon, being half reaper and half human. Your soul and body would be incredibly powerful, no doubt. They thought you'd be a danger to the mortal world once you grew up. I didn't want to kill you, though. Two other reapers and I stood up for your mother, which made four in favor in leniency and three reapers in favor of extermination. But even if the vote hadn't been in her favor, Akira wouldn't have let them hurt you. She was fiercely protective of you."

Alfred was speechless. Gilbert didn't blame him though; it was a lot to take in all at once.

Finally, he asked reluctantly, "Then...why hasn't she ever visited me or anything? If she felt that way, then why'd she dump me at some orphanage?" His voice was shaky, as if he was internally torn between his own emotions.

"So there was a compromise," the reaper explained, "You were to be raised by humans and develop as any other demon hunter, without any interference by reapers. Your mom wasn't allowed to see you. She had to let you grow up on your own, and none of the other reapers were allowed to kill you, that was the compromise. We had to leave you alone until...until we could determine what kind of person you are."

"What do you mean?" Alfred tilted his head.

"If you turned out to be someone who was going to abuse your strength, the reapers would have another vote whether or not to terminate you. If you were deemed worthy enough, we would let you be," Paulette told him bluntly.

Gilbert and Alfred looked at each other briefly, trying to decide if they should be legitimately concerned at this point. "So..." Alfred asked, scratching his head, "When's my judgment day?"

"Hmm...how old are you right now?"

"Sixteen, but I'm turning seventeen in two months," he replied.

"Well, it's coming up," Paulette said casually, "Yep, I think we agreed on your seventeenth birthday."

"Oh."

"Don't worry," Paulette waved off, "You've got my vote. I like you already! I can see Akira's passion in your soul. I don't know about the others, but I'll definitely pick life for you."

"Thanks, I guess. One more thing," Alfred frowned, "You never mentioned my dad."

Out of nowhere, the reaper's faced darkened and she looked away quickly. "It's complicated."

"What? You can't give me that kind of answer! I've been dying to know about my parents ever since I can remember," Alfred pleaded, "Just give me his name. He's a demon hunter, that's what you said, right? Maybe I can find him-"

She cut him off brusquely, "He's dead. I'm sorry, Alfred. You can't find him now." The American's face fell considerably, like he didn't know what to think of that information.

"H-how? Was he killed by a demon? Because if he was, I swear I'll hunt it down," Alfred balled his fists, and Gilbert thought back to the moment Metus told him he had killed his father and eaten his soul, and remembered the overwhelming anger he had felt that day. He imagined that Alfred was feeling like that as well.

When Paulette didn't answer, Gilbert spoke up skeptically, "You're not telling the whole story. You've left out an important part, haven't you?"

"It's not absolutely essential," Paulette huffed, still refusing to meet their eyes. She was about to say more, when all of a sudden another voice came out of the shadows behind the town hall.

"Paulette? What do you think you're doing?"

Another figure stepped into the moonlight in the plaza. He had shaggy hair that was a color in between really light brown and strawberry blonde, and atop his head sat a small, crooked, red top hat with two ribbons dangling from it. His eyes were a striking reddish-orange color that reminded Gilbert of fire, and on the left side of his mouth he had a tiny fang. His large trench coat was a deep scarlet color that matched his hat, and a white collared shirt under it.

Paulette seemed to jump a little at the sound of his voice. "V-Vladmir! Hey there!" she stammered, a startled expression on her face.

"I turn my back for one second and you disappear and go on ahead to the next village. You know you shouldn't be talking to humans," Vladmir, who was evidently a reaper by this point, sighed. He turned to Gilbert and Alfred apologetically, "I'm sorry, demon hunters, you'll have to excuse her. She's the newest reaper, and even though it's already been a century, she has a hard time following orders."

"Vlad, you can drop the formalities already. These aren't just any humans! This one's Alfred! Akira's son," Paulette gushed excitedly.

Vladmir's gaze shifted to Alfred, who waved with nothing else to do, but the reaper's pupils shrank in shock. "Paulette...what have you done? We were forbidden to enter his life!"

"Will you stop worrying?" she answered as if it were no big deal, "He turned out better than we thought! There isn't a hint of wickedness in his soul, just look at it. Of course there wouldn't be, he's Akira's kid, after all."

"That's not the point," Vladmir chided, "It was part of our compromise! And you told him, didn't you? When Juan hears about this..."

"Juan doesn't have to know!" Paulette objected, "Neither do any of the others. Besides, I just wanted to help him. He's practically one of us, you know."

"He's not one of us," Vladmir shook his head. "He's human. That's the way it should be. You shouldn't have said a word to him." Alfred and Gilbert had just been watching the argument bounce back and forth, unsure whether they should say something. Gilbert still could hardly believe it. Two reapers in one night! And Alfred made two and a half!

"But Vlad!" she protested ardently, "He has to know about the seal!"

Vladmir inhaled sharply, "No, that is strictly against the mandate!"

"Um...if you don't mind me asking," Alfred butt in brusquely, "What seal?"

Paulette turned to him, about to explain, but Vladmir cut her off, "Oh no you don't. It's bad enough you told him his true nature."

She glared at him in frustration, "Please, let me just tell them! Screw the mandate! This is serious, Vlad! Don't you want to help them? Don't you love humanity?"

"Of course I love humanity!" Vladmir refuted, slighted by her question.

"Then tell me that you don't hate nights like these! Tell me that you don't want to tear up that stupid mandate every time we have to check a village for leftover souls after a demon attack! I loathe nights like these! Seeing the soulless bodies of humans everywhere. How can you ignore these atrocities?" Paulette demanded.

"You know I can barely stand it either! But if we break the mandate that way, you know what'll happen. We'll be recalled. We won't be reapers anymore," Vladmir countered, "You think I like seeing the ruins and the corpses? No! But we can't save them..."

"Maybe we can't. It's against our mandate, you're right. It's the demon hunter's mandate to destroy the demons and save souls. But they can't do that without our help this time! If the Academy gets destroyed, who's left to protect the mortals? That's why I have to tell him about the seal! We can't let the Academy fall!"

"Whoa, wait," Gilbert blinked, "Go back a little. What about the Academy getting destroyed?!"

Paulette glanced at Vladmir, daring him to stop her now, but thankfully, he didn't. The male reaper just took a deep breath, and let her talk this time. "Nidor wasn't bluffing when he said the Academy's days were numbered. There's been a huge spike in demon activity lately. Soon they'll be powerful enough to overtake the Academy once and for all."

"What?! That's impossible! They wouldn't dare come near the school," Alfred pointed out.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Vladmir disagreed, "They may not attack for another year or so, who knows, but one day in the near future, a dark day will come for the Academy. The major demons are definitely up to something, but we're not sure what."

"Alfred. There's another part of the story I haven't told you yet," Paulette said seriously, "But first I have to ask, what do you value most?"

Alfred blinked, surprised by such a strange question. "My friends," he answered finally, "I don't know what I'd do without them. All of them."

Paulette beamed cheerfully and gave Vladmir a look that said _I told you so!_ She turned back to Alfred, recomposing herself, "If you really do value them, which I don't doubt that you do, then let me give you a small warning. As reapers, we can't help you, and we've already stretched the rules by talking you to tonight. But heed this, there's evil stirring in the dark. Your friends' souls could be in jeopardy, but you have the power to protect them, Alfred. When the compromise was made, a special seal was placed on your soul to lock away much of your soul's true strength. It didn't do away with your powers completely, since your soul skill's still very effective, but you haven't even seen half of your true potential as part reaper. The seal hides much of your soul's powers like a dam blocks water, but the seal wasn't permanent. Over time the seal grows weaker, and around the time you turn seventeen, the seal might break completely. I'm not saying that it will break, just that the 'warranty' is up, so to speak."

"You're saying that my soul skill is even greater than it already is?" Alfred gawked, and even Gilbert was a little jealous of his American friend.

Vladmir nodded, "Now that the seal has grown considerably weak, more and more of your soul energy is leaking through. Technically, you could break the seal all at once if you knew how, but if all that energy was released at once, you'd spontaneously combust." That wasn't a happy thought. Gilbert didn't feel all that jealous anymore.

"So you have to summon your energy a little at a time," Paulette continued, "Once you can control it, you'll be one of the most powerful demon hunters ever to walk the planet."

Abruptly, the two reapers perked up, as if listening carefully to some unheard voice, and exchanged knowing glances. "We have to go now," Vladmir said urgently, "May fate be on your side, demon hunters."

"Remember what we told you," Paulette nodded, and even as she spoke, both the reapers' forms began to shimmer, making it hard for Gilbert to focus his eyes on them. "Unlock your powers carefully, Alfred, and be wary of who you trust. I believe your heart will make the right decisions, so do not betray our trust. Use your soul to protect what you hold dear, your friends, and use it to defend humanity."

Before Alfred or Gilbert could say anything more, there was a sudden flash of bright light, and in an instant the light died down, and the two reapers were gone without a trace. Alfred threw Gilbert a dumbfounded, sideways look, "Did that really just happen...?"

"Yeah..."

* * *

The subway ride home had flown by quickly, even though the two spent most of it in silence. Alfred's mind was terribly occupied absorbing all the information the two reapers had presented them. It hardly seemed real, to be completely honest. The American didn't have too hard of a time accepting it though; he'd always known he was different, that something about him was abnormal, but he never imagined it was because he wasn't fully human. However, this turn of events had explained a lot about his soul and its special capabilities, though learning to unlock his powers slowly would definitely prove to be challenging.

Meanwhile, Gilbert's thoughts hung on other key words the reapers had said. For one thing, Paulette had warned them that the demons were stirring, and that Nidor's crazy claim about the Academy being overrun wasn't too far off. Did that mean that the demons were working together now? Metus had mentioned something about Illedris wanting to form a major demon alliance. What was his she demon master up to? He hadn't seen her in a long time, so there was no way to tell...

But Paulette had said something else before vanishing. "_Be wary of who you trust_," she had said. That final warning for his partner had unnerved Gilbert as well. Was she trying to tell Alfred not to trust him? Of course, the reaper had never displayed suspicions towards Gilbert, but then again, she did take a good look at his soul, and most likely saw the impurity the soul deal had left on it. Perhaps she was right then; Gilbert could not be trusted, or at least, he shouldn't be.

"Hey Gil," Alfred piped up brusquely, "What do you think? Should I try unlocking the seal myself?" His voice was earnest, with a hint of naive curiosity.

"Yeah, I mean, those reapers told you about it for a reason, right?" Gilbert answered immediately, thinking the answer would be obvious. If it was him, Gilbert wouldn't even have second thoughts about reaching for his true potential. Who wouldn't want to increase their strength tenfold?

"I really want to," Alfred nodded, "But I'm not a huge fan of self-detonation...Vladmir said my soul energy had to be released little by little. And I don't even know how to unlock the seal."

"You could ask Karpusi, I bet he'll have an idea," the albino suggested with a shrug, he himself having a terribly negative connotation with seals. But if Alfred found a way to break the seal on his soul energy, he might be inadvertently helping Gilbert out with his own secret dilemma.

"...You know, I don't think I should tell anyone else just yet," he said slowly, "As much as I want to tell everybody how totally cool this is, Paulette and Vladmir kinda broke their mandate to tell me about, you know, being a reaper and stuff. I don't think they want me telling other demon hunters."

"I guess you're right," Gilbert sighed, "Vladmir was pretty freaked out when he first saw you. Don't worry, I won't tell either."

"Thanks, dude," Alfred grinned, "And...okay I'm not sure how to ask this, but...You know everyone knows that you train Elizaveta, right?"

"Yeah, what of it? They don't like it?"

"No, it's not that, they just think that it's weird or something. I think it's cool though, you helping her out and everything. Anyway, I was wondering if you could train me, too," he put it plainly with a ridiculous pleading look on his face.

"Train you?" It was so odd because they were both already in the same Class, and whenever they dueled each other in the Gym, the two were practically evenly matched (okay, maybe Alfred was a little better, but Gilbert didn't like to acknowledge that out loud). "Why do you need me to train you?"

"Well, you're the only other person who knows about my reaper-ness," Alfred shrugged, "And...I need help unlocking my soul energy. You also use soul projection, so maybe you can help me out!"

"But I don't know anything about soul seals, really," Gilbert cocked his head to the side. "And I use my soul projection to summon weapons."

"That's what I'm talking about," Alfred nodded enthusiastically, "I'm not sure why, but I feel like once I master my soul projection, the seal will be opened. And...I think I'll know it's open when I can summon my scythe!"

"Scythe? I don't remember either of the reapers saying anything about you having a scythe," the albino furrowed his brow, puzzled.

"I know, but if I'm half reaper, then I should be able to make one," Alfred persisted, an unquenchable determination in his blue eyes. "I don't know how to explain it, but I've just got this weird feeling, and it's telling me that I gotta try it!"

"I've never made a scythe before, so it's not in my weapons inventory," Gilbert stated, knowing there was no way to talk Alfred out of the idea, "But I guess I can show you how to make a sword or something with your soul energy."

"Yeah! That's a start!" Alfred whooped in delight, radiating an endless energetic excitement despite the fact that it was way past midnight. "This is gonna be sweet! Once I unlock this seal, then I can be everyone's hero!"

The subway rolled to a gentle stop as he spoke. "Huh? We can't be back yet, we still have at least two more stops before the Academy," Gilbert wondered aloud. The subway had come to a halt in the underground station of a small, in-the-middle-of-nowhere town, but when the cabin's doors slid open, a disheveled, bruised up Arthur Kirkland limped in. But worse off was Kiku, whose arm was slung around the Brit, as he tried with the last of his strength to step into the subway. The Japanese student was in a terrible condition; there was a ugly gash running from his jaw line to his left temple, and blood stained his white jacket. The sleeve of his right arm was torn, revealing four parallel, deep cuts, presumably from claws or talons. Whatever made those marks must have also given the distinct slashes on his back and legs. But there was a more serious wound inflicted on Kiku's side, blood still dripping from what appeared to be teeth marks.

As soon as the two hobbled inside, Gilbert and Alfred jumped to their feet in alarm. Alfred rushed over and immediately helped Arthur lay Kiku, who was barely able to move on his own, across a few of the seats of the subway. Gilbert shed his blue jacket and pressed it against the wound in Kiku's side, trying to stop the bleeding, while Alfred exclaimed, "Arthur! What the hell happened?"

"Our bloody assignment...went bad..." Arthur panted, breathing heavily as he rested against the wall of the subway, which had begun on its way again, and wiped the blood that trickled from the corners of his mouth.

"Hyena demons...seven of them," Kiku winced before entering a coughing fit. "We miscalculated."

"Stop talking," Gilbert chided, still compressing the bite injury, "You're wasting energy." Now that he was up close, the wounds look even worse, and probably lethal if he didn't get help soon.

"We need to get you both to the infirmary," Alfred creased his forehead. "You need medical attention."

"I'm fine, just exhausted," Arthur insisted, though his appearance told a different story. "It's Kiku who need emergency treatment. If it weren't for his quick thinking, I'd be dead right now."

"Did you complete the assignment?" Alfred asked.

"Of course we did, you wanker," Arthur huffed, as if he should have known the answer.

"_Verdammt_," Gilbert cursed, feeling Kiku's forehead and observing the redness surfacing in his cheeks, "You're coming down with a fever or something! You're burning up."

"Hai..maybe that's why I feel so tired..." he replied meekly, his breath raspy. Slowly, Kiku closed his eyes and lost consciousness, leaving Gilbert even more unsettled.

"Bloody hell," Arthur griped, "That should be me lying on that bench." He clenched his fists angrily.

"Don't talk like that, dude! Kiku wouldn't want that," Alfred reprimanded.

"But I'm the Class A rep! I can't believe I let this happen," the Brit gritted his teeth, frustrated. Gilbert thought back to when Alice had explained to him that all the Class reps saw themselves as heads of the class family. It sounded like a tough, demanding position, now that he thought about it. One that required a sense of responsibility, something that perhaps Gilbert lacked.

"Artie..." Alfred sighed, but gave up, knowing that his friend didn't want his patronage right now. About ten minutes later, the subway finally reached the Academy, and as soon as the doors opened, Alfred and Gilbert both took Kiku to the infirmary, while Arthur trailed behind, his own injuries slowing him down.

Once they reached the nurses' office, Alfred rang the bell that sat on the front desk, and after a brief moment, a young girl, about a year younger than Gilbert and had big green eyes and short blonde hair adorned with a purple ribbon dangling from one side, hurried in upon hearing the chime. Seeing the seriousness of Kiku's condition, she quickly showed them down the adjacent hall without asking any questions. Once she led them into a vacant, sterile, white room with a hospital bed against the wall, the two lay Kiku down carefully on the comfy mattress. Arthur finally caught up to them, and when the girl saw him she said, "I'll get you to a room too, Arthur, just a moment."

"No, I'm fine, thanks anyway, Lili," Arthur waved off.

"Alright, but you should at least put this on your cuts," she told him as she picked out a small container of salve from one of the shelves on the wall and gave it to him. Just then, a man who appeared to be in his early twenties entered the room, wearing a doctor's coat and bearing a such prominent resemblance to the young girl, Lili, that he had to be her big brother. He quickly looked Arthur up and down and dismissed the Brit's injuries as minor, then moved on to Kiku, who required much more attention. Gilbert and Alfred moved out of his way, and Lili quickly handed the doctor another container of ointment and some sanitation wipes, as if it were a repeated procedure.

Kiku's fever had gotten incredibly worse in the last ten minutes, taking short, shallow breaths as sweat beaded his forehead. "Is he going to be okay, Dr. Zwingli?" Arthur asked, biting his lip.

Dr. Zwingli put a hand on Kiku's forehead, too concentrated to answer Arthur's question. Gently, he pulled up the bottom of Kiku's bloodstained shirt to examine the bite wounds in his side. He narrowed his eyes. "What did this to him?"

"A hyena-type demon," Arthur answered right away.

"That's no ordinary bite," Dr. Zwingli said gravely. "Whatever that demon was, it was able to puncture Kiku's soul when it bit into his flesh, leaving behind a toxic poison. I don't have any cures for it that will work fast enough. We'll need Yao."

Alfred nodded and then dashed out of the room, heading towards the dorms. While they waited, Lili and Dr. Zwingli rubbed some of the ointment on Kiku's gashes, while Gilbert watched, practically holding his breath, unsure of what to do at this point. He wasn't a doctor, so he wasn't very useful in this situation. The bite that Dr. Zwingli had described was a bit disturbing; a poison that degrades the soul? He could only imagine how painful that could be, and Kiku was suffering it now.

Within minutes, Alfred returned with Yao, who definitely looked as if he had just hopped out of bed and sprinted here, panting with his hair down and still in his sleeping robes. "Yao, he's going to need your soul skill. There's no other way to save him in time," Dr. Zwingli explained efficiently and urgently. Yao nodded in understanding, and moved to the bedside. Without a second thought, Yao placed one hand above Kiku's heart, and the other above his forehead, then closed his own eyes.

Gilbert had never once seen Yao use his soul skill before, but it was pretty awesome, he had to give his classmate credit. In a matter of seconds, the wounds that riddled Kiku's body began to close up on themselves, the gashes turning to small cuts, then fading into scars before disappearing altogether. Kiku's breathing returned back to normal, and his face regained its normal color, while the tension in his muscles relaxed. By the time Yao was done healing him, he looked as if nothing had ever happened, as if there had never been a fight in the first place. Finally, Yao opened his eyes, and pulled his hands back.

"The poison is taken care of now," Yao said matter-of-factly, though there was a certain, strange sullenness in his eyes that puzzled Gilbert. "And his wounds are all healed."

"Thank you," Dr. Zwingli nodded gratefully to Yao. Then he turned to Lili, "I can handle the other patients for now. Can you go to the cafe and see if Alice has any extra calming potions leftover?" Lili nodded and went out. Then he turned to Arthur, "Make sure you use that salve and clean your cuts. I don't want to have to treat any of your infections." Arthur nodded, and with that, Dr. Zwingli left the room.

Kiku stirred, and gradually opened his eyes. He sat up groggily and yawned, and Alfred laughed, "Welcome back, dude!"

"Feeling better?" Arthur inquired cautiously, wanting to smack Alfred for yelling in the infirmary. Kiku nodded as he checked his side for the bite marks, which were long gone.

"Hai, a lot better," Kiku replied slowly, then glanced at Yao suspiciously. The Chinese student looked away quickly. Suddenly Kiku glared at him, which thoroughly surprised Gilbert, who had never seen the Japanese student angry before, not once in his whole time at the Academy. "You healed me, didn't you?" he demanded crossly.

"The demon bite was poisoning your soul, I had no other choice! You'd have died," Yao shot back heatedly.

"Yao! I told you never to use your soul skill on me ever again!" Kiku rebuked, startling Arthur, Alfred and Gilbert. The albino was truly confused by now; the two were normally good friends, and Kiku never lost his temper with someone else, least of all level-headed Yao.

"It's my soul, I can do what I want with it!" Yao admonished, folding his arms over his chest stubbornly.

"You can't be so foolish! I specifically told you not to recklessly waste your soul on me!"

"You expect me to sit back while you die?! Don't you know that I can't do that? I'll gladly give up my soul if it means saving a friend's life!"

"What the bloody hell are you two going on about?" Arthur interjected.

At first both of them said nothing, and just glared at each other instead. Finally, Kiku turned to Arthur with a defiant look on his face, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Yao cut him off. "Don't you dare, Kiku! You promised! You gave your solemn word."

"Your soul is more important than keeping a promise. They need to know," he responded seriously then turned back to the others before Yao could stop him. "Yao has a cursed soul."

Alfred's jaw dropped, and Arthur paled. "What?!" Gilbert exclaimed. Yao just set his spiteful eyes on Kiku, who remained steely calm.

"Yao, when did this happen? What are the terms of the curse?" Arthur demanded in disbelief.

"It's none of your concern," Yao mumbled.

"Of course it is!" Arthur exasperated in irritation, "As Class rep it's my job to know about these kinds thing. Why didn't you tell anyone else earlier? We could have helped you!"

"No, you couldn't have," he shook his head, "It's my problem not yours, aru."

"Class A is a family," Alfred insisted, "We all stick together and help each other out. We all care about you too. Why won't you tell us?"

"Because you'll all be like Kiku!" Yao burst out. "He won't let me heal him anymore if he can help it, and even if he were on the brink of death he wouldn't me to help him!"

"What exactly is your curse?" Gilbert threw out the question in the hope of finally understanding what was going on.

But Yao refused to answer, so Kiku answered for him. "Every time Yao uses his soul skill, he gets closer to death."

Yao shot him another irked glower, but Alfred tilted his head, "What? How?"

"There's a-" Kiku began, but Yao's temper finally blew its fuse.

"Just _stop_ already! I said it before, it's not anyone else's problem!" he snapped in outrage. "So just _shut up_!"

"Will _you_ shut up?!" Arthur retorted, "It became our problem when you became our friend, and it will remain our problem as long as we're friends. Now, tell us how the curse works already!"

"Yeah, keeping secrets from your fellow classmates is so un-awesome," Gilbert maintained. "Your problem is everyone's problem, whether you like it or not."

Yao's mouth hung open, shocked into speechlessness by his fuming yet kind tirade. He just hadn't expected them to care so much about his own condition to keep pestering him about it. Perhaps, he thought that he was alone to deal with his problem by himself, or die knowing there was nothing else he could do about it.

After a fleeting moment, Kiku continued, "There's a demon's Mark at the base of his neck. Well, it is actually half a demon's Mark, but every time Yao heals someone with his skill, the Mark gets closer to completion. Once it's full, Yao's life will end."

Arthur nodded somberly. "Let me see the Mark," he said, and Yao started to protest, but the deadset look in the Brit's green eyes, and from everyone else's eyes for that matter, defeated his objections. Gilbert realized then that Yao was subtly very careful about covering up his collarbone and the lower half of his neck, always wearing collared shirts and sometimes even casual ties. Sighing, Yao tugged on his robe just enough to expose the base of his neck, where his left and right clavicles formed the collarbone. The Mark resembled a dark, black tattoo, almost as if it were inked onto his skin.

And Gilbert's heart almost stopped when he saw it. Yao's Mark depicted a winged snake forming three-fifths of a circle.

"Once the snake grows enough the bit its own tail, the curse has run its course," Yao whispered morosely. "Every time I use my soul skill, it gets a little closer."

Gilbert's frightening assumption was correct then. Yao's Mark was on its way to becoming an Ouroboros. Just like the one currently on his back...

"There's gotta be a way we can break the curse," Alfred said earnestly.

Yao shook his head. "Ever since I was cursed six months ago, I've been searching for a way to free myself, but it's impossible. The only way to break a curse like this is to slay the demon who gave it to me."

"Well, which demon cursed you?" Gilbert stipulated furiously. All that talk earlier about Class A being one big family was serious. And no one messes with the Class A demon hunters and gets away with it. "We can kill it and free you!"

Yao only shook his head dejectedly, "You can't help me. This demon...I've been investigating it on my own, waiting for it to resurface again, but there's no way. The major demon Nihilum is untraceable; no one who sees it and lives ever finds it again. Nihilum literally means 'nothing' and you can't track nothing, that's just not possible."

"But there's got to be way we can help," Arthur insisted sincerely, but when he racked his brains for an idea, he found none.

"You can't give up," Gilbert maintained, even though he couldn't come up with a solution either.

"I haven't," Yao reassured them, "I'm still exploring any other options, but there really isn't anything I can do but wait for Nihilum to pop up again."

"We'll find him again," Kiku affirmed confidently, "And when we do, we really will reduce him to nothing."

"Damn straight we will," Gilbert agreed solemnly. Arthur nodded in agreement, and so did Alfred. The room fell into a deep, grim silence, each of them pondering the bleak news about the curse. All of them were determined to help their fellow classmate, though actually doing that proved to be a challenging task, and even that was an understatement.

"So guess what guys!" Alfred suddenly burst out in a cheery tone, trying to lighten up the mood, "Tonight I found out that I'm actually the son of a reaper! Is that cool or what!"

"WHAT?!" Arthur, Yao, and Kiku gaped, completely and utterly taken by surprise. They couldn't tell whether he was joking or not, but the American gave them that haughty, trademark laugh and nodded triumphantly.

Gilbert put his hand to his forehead. So much for keeping that a secret.

* * *

From the Author: Well that certainly was a random change of mood on my part. I managed to cram a lot of information in this particular chapter, but I hope it all makes sense. Maybe some of you can tell where this is going? Or maybe not. You'll just have to stick around and find out next chapter!

Paulette is Wy, Vladmir is Romania.

You know, I'm starting to feel bad for some of my characters...But without adversity like soul deals and curses, there'd be no story, right? Anyways, thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting! Even the little gestures have a huge positive impact! And please review, every word is appreciated!Thanks and until next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own hetalia!

* * *

It came as no surprise that Gilbert dozed right through school that day in his cozy dorm, catching up on some much-needed and definitely hard-earned sleep. Taking on Nidor was physically draining enough, and then processing everything else he had learned was mentally exhausting as well. Not only had he learned that the demons were up to something big, that Alfred was half reaper, and that Yao's soul was cursed, but even after that he and Alfred had to find some way to plausibly explain to Arthur, Yao, and Kiku what the reapers Paulette and Vladmir had told them about Alfred's supernatural heritage. Once the five of them were all on the same page, they decided that for now, they really would keep Alfred's reaper-ness a secret, at least until Alfred could learn to unlock some of his power and control it. Gilbert didn't really know if he could trust Alfred, but then again, it was Alfred's secret and the American could do whatever he wanted with it for all Gilbert cared.

Another argument had ensued when Yao requested that they keep his curse a secret as well. So far, the only ones who knew were those in the room, Dr. Zwingli, the instructors, and the headmaster. Arthur thought that the rest of Class A should know about the curse as well, so none of them would ask Yao to ever heal their wounds again, but Yao tenaciously protested, until finally, it got too late to argue and everyone just wanted to go to their dorms and rest, so Arthur finally agreed not to tell anyone.

When Gilbert finally pulled himself out of bed, he had just enough time to change and meet Elizaveta at the gate for another training lesson. For a fleeting second, he thought about what Roderich had told him in the cafe before taking the emergency assignment, but quickly dismissed his echoing words from his mind.

An hour or so later, Gilbert and Elizaveta were making their way back to campus from their reclusive clearing, both breathing hard from such a good work out. "I almost had you that last match," she grinned as they walked toward the iron gate.

"Almost? You were off by a mile," Gilbert chuckled teasingly.

"Not true! If I had been two seconds faster I'd have knocked you off your feet," Elizaveta laughed, delighted that the lessons were really paying off. "Anyway, I don't know if you've heard yet, but Class B is hosting an ice cream social tomorrow for demon hunters, since it's the weekend. It's also sort of a fundraiser, so you should come."

"Fundraiser? Funds for what?"

"Well, the school has to pay for more demon hunting weapons somehow, because if you haven't noticed, not all of us can make our own out of thin air," Elizaveta replied a little sarcastically. "And Class B usually does all the fundraising events 'cause Class A's too busy hogging up all the assignments."

"Sure, I'll be there," Gilbert affirmed as they entered the Academy. Elizaveta quickly said goodbye, then went off to meet her friends in the cafe while Gilbert returned to the dorms to find Antonio and Francis. He only had to wait a couple of seconds after knocking on their door before Antonio answered it with that welcoming, bright smile.

"Hola, Gilbert," he greeted as he let Gilbert in. "How'd your assignment go?"

"Killed the major demon of rank, no big deal," Gilbert shrugged as he plopped down on Francis's bed. The French student was currently sitting in the swivel chair in front of the desk in the corner, and he chortled.

"Gil, you'll never guess what happened," Francis started, his expression a mixture of nervous excitement, which piqued Gilbert's interest immediately, "Michelle came up to me yesterday night after you left and demanded to know how I felt about her!"

Gilbert had to force himself to resist the urge to burst out laughing. So Michelle had taken his advice seriously! "Well, what did you say?" Gilbert asked, cracking a smile.

"I...I tried to act like I didn't care, but it's like she could see right through me," Francis sighed, as if a little ashamed. "And then, I'm not even sure what happened. She called me a liar and we started yelling at each other. I wanted her to go away, but she was so persistent!"

"If you like her so much, why'd you go and do that?" Gilbert frowned, disappointed so far.

"She's mundane! You know the unspoken rule..." Francis bit his lip. "But then, one moment we were shouting and the next we were kissing."

A broad smile grew on Gilbert's face. "That's awesome, man! Congratulations! Get some!"

"No! This is a disaster waiting to happen, and it's against demon hunting code," Francis shook his head, "But after that, I can't bring myself to let her go..."

"You don't have to as long as you keep all the demon hunting stuff a secret, right? Just be careful when you're talking to her and you'll be fine," Gilbert reassured him.

"Yeah, I think Gil's right," Antonio nodded concurringly, "If you're both happy, then why end it and make both of you sad?"

"I doubt the other hunters will approve," Francis muttered, but it was obvious he wanted to pursue this relationship with Michelle.

"When have any of us ever given a damn about what others think?" Gilbert chuckled, "It's not like they can stop you."

"You're right," Francis halfsmiled, lightening up. He was about to say more, when there was another knock on the door, and when Antonio answered it, Kim stood in the hall expectantly.

"No girls in the guy's dorms," Gilbert pointed out with a smirk, and Kim just rolled her eyes and turned to Antonio.

"Mr. Karpusi would like to see you," she told the Spanish student, "He's got a new assignment for you."

"Gracias, I'll go right now," Antonio nodded optimistically, then waved goodbye to his friends, "Hasta luego." With that, Kim and Antonio disappeared down the stairs. Gilbert, still quite sleep-deprived, also decided it was time to get some more shut eye, and returned to his dorm room, and just before he fell asleep, it occurred to him that tomorrow, it'll be a full month since he'd last seen Illedris. Abstractly, he wondered what she had been up to all this time. One can do a lot in a month.

* * *

"Gilbert?"

"Yeah?" the albino responded to his brother as he finished pulling off his old white T-shirt that he had slept in and reached for a nicer blue one that lay on his bed, and by nicer he meant not extremely baggy or revealing. Gilbird rested on top of the wardrobe contently, lazy as usual. Ludwig at first didn't like the idea of keeping a pet against the rules, mainly because he was afraid Gilbert couldn't take care of Gilbird, but over time the chick proved that he could take care of himself, and made the wardrobe his home.

"Where did you get all those?" Ludwig asked, concern evident in his tone of voice. "All those bruises on your back?"

Realizing his mistake much too late, Gilbert quickly threw on his blue shirt, and whirled around so Ludwig was no longer staring at his back."I fell."

The blonde furrowed his brow and regarded his brother suspiciously. "That's a lot of bruises..."

"Down the stairs."

"Did you get into a fight?" Ludwig frowned tentatively. "Is someone bullying you or something? Do you need my help...?"

It was Gilbert's turn to roll his eyes for a change. "Oh please, little brother, you think I'd let anyone bully me? You know I'm awesomer than that! Seriously, it's nothing to worry about." Gilbert wasn't even really sure how many of those bruises came from sparring Elizaveta or dueling in Adnan's class or from facing Nidor. But whatever the case, there really wasn't any reason to worry. "Anyway," he added, heading towards the door before Ludwig could interrogate him any further, "I'm going to be late if I wait another minute. See ya later, Luddy!" Then Gilbert bolted out the door and quickly left the dorms, leaving Ludwig staring after him in confusion and doubt.

On the way to the Class B classroom, Gilbert cursed himself for being so careless with his brother around. How could he be so stupid?! From now on he would have to watch his step around Ludwig, because no doubt now the blonde would be cynical of his every move.

But Gilbert's worries quickly vanished when he finally reached the Class B classroom, which was a fairly large room for a classroom, but it was packed with demon hunters from every Class. Apparently the desks had been removed temporarily to make space. Noise from people's chattering filled the room, and Gilbert could pick out many familiar faces among the crowd, talking and holding cones and cups of ice cream of various flavors. Kim was there, along with Yong Soo and Kiku, conversing with several other students that he didn't recognize. He caught a glimpse of Arthur and Alfred walking by, and also saw Yao chatting with Mei and Alice. Even Ivan and Natalya showed up, and were talking with another girl who looked so much like them that she must have been their sister, Katyusha from Class C. A small grin found its way on Gilbert's lips. This was his kind of crowd, the secret demon hunters of the Academy, guardians of mortal souls. Awesome.

"Gil, there you are!" Elizaveta smiled, appearing before him from out of the crowd. "C'mon, the ice cream's almost gone." She grabbed his wrist and led him to the other end of the room, where a long table covered with tubs of ice cream in a serve-yourself fashion, after paying the mandatory "donation" of course, since it was a fundraiser. After making the donation, Gilbert grabbed a waffle cone and piled scoops of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream. Then he and Elizaveta went to go mingle with other hunters. "There's some people you still have to meet," she said excitedly.

She took him over to where Alfred and Arthur were in the middle of conversation with a couple of others. "Hey guys!" she bubbled, inserting herself and Gilbert into the group smoothly. Elizaveta turned to a guy with short, spiky blonde hair with a distinct vertical scar just above his right eye, wearing a neutral expression that seemed to be permanent. "Lars, this is Gilbert, from Class A. And Gilbert, this is Lars, Class B. His soul skill makes his body immune to demon poisoning."

The two shook hands in good-nature, but Gilbert could have sworn it was impossible for this guy to so much as crack a smile. He didn't look like much of a talker either. Elizaveta moved on energetically, "And this is Matthew, also Class B." She was about to continue, when Alfred interjected merrily.

"Yeah, dude, we're so tight, he's practically my little bro," the American laughed, and Matthew smiled appreciatively to be noticed. "He can control people's emotions with his soul skill."

"Really?" Gilbert blinked, regarding Matthew carefully. He looked a lot like Alfred actually, glasses and blonde hair and all, except for his soft violet-blue eyes and a long curl instead of a cowlick.

Matthew smiled diffidently and nodded. "I don't have total control, but I can influence the intensity of an emotion that someone feels. Like if you were angry, I could make you even more mad, or I could turn it down."

Gilbert was about to make a remark, when another girl joined the conversation. She had bright, inquisitive blue eyes behind glasses, and light brown hair, most of which was tied into a long side braid that fell over her shoulder. A big red bow hung above the braid and her bangs were pinned back with bobby pins, and she wore a soft pink overcoat, and she gave the overall impression that she was an intelligent girl who was professional in everything she did. She was about to speak with Arthur, when Elizaveta caught her attention, "Laura, great timing! This is Gilbert, from Class A. And Gil, this is Laura Bonnefoy, Class B rep."

Laura nodded and a halfsmile, "Nice to finally meet you."

"You too. Wait, did you say Bonnefoy?" Gilbert inquired, surprised, "Are you Francis's sister? I didn't even know he had a sister!"

"That's me," Laura giggled, "By the way, you're one of his best friends, right? Where is he?"

"Oh, he's on a date," Gilbert shrugged, and decided not to tell them it was with a mundane.

Laura sighed, "Figures. Anyway, Arthur, did you know that Antonio received an assignment last night?"

Arthur nodded, "That's why he's not here today. Why?"

"Well, did you know that Karpusi let him chose his partner this time? And he chose Lovino Vargas."

"What? To fight a major demon?" Arthur's jaw dropped in shock. "Why didn't he chose another Class A student?" Similar expressions came over Elizaveta, Alfred, Matthew and even Lars.

"What's wrong with choosing Lovino?" Gilbert asked, puzzled. He didn't see the problem, but obviously he was missing something.

"It's crazy!" Laura shook her head, "You need at least two Class A students to face a major demon and succeed. And Lovino's not even...not even a good choice from Class B. As much as I hate to say it, his soul might not be ready to handle it, especially since it's not whole. I can't believe Karpusi approved it."

"You really shouldn't underestimate fellow classmates," Gilbert frowned. "I think they can do it."

"Yeah, Gil's right," Elizaveta nodded. "We should have faith in our friends!"

"I-I guess," Laura pursed her lips doubtfully. Then Kiku passed by, probably on his way to talk to Yao or someone, but Laura caught sight of him and called him over. "Kiku, do you by any chance know where Feliciano is? I wonder if he knows about Lovino's assignment. But it's strange that he's not here. Normally he'd never miss these kinds of things."

"Feliciano decided to spend the day with Ludwig," Kiku replied, "And hai, he knows about the assignment, but he's not worried. Antonio promised to look after him last night." Kiku turned to Gilbert with a speculative expression, "Ludwig's been asking a lot of questions lately. He suspects something."

"Damn him for being so smart," Gilbert muttered.

"Don't worry, there's no way he's going to reach the conclusion that we're demon hunters," Alfred brushed off, "I mean, he doesn't seem like the kind of dude who believes in supernatural stuff anyways."

"Anyway, Gilbert," Laura said thoughtfully, changing the subject, "What's your soul skill again?"

"I can form weapons from my soul energy, and create them in my hands," Gilbert smirked triumphantly.

"A special type of soul projection," Arthur clarified.

"Interesting," she pondered, "Could you arm other hunters with your weapons?"

"No," Gilbert shook his head. "The weapons can't leave my hand, or they dissolve and the energy returns to my soul."

"Have you ever tried forming more stable weapons that can leave your hand? You'd be much more efficient that way," Laura speculated.

"Yeah, you could totally slay demons using projectile weapons if you could do that," Alfred mused.

"Or give your friends weapons to defend themselves too," Matthew added.

"Huh, I never thought about that," Gilbert tilted his head. He would definitely have to try that the next time he had any free time. "So what's your soul skill?" he asked Laura.

"My soul has an incredible affinity for memory, so I can remember everything I've ever read, or any solid information anyone tells me," she answered, her glasses glinting as she did so.

"Wow, you all have some pretty cool soul skills," Gilbert commented, directed at Laura, Lars, and Matthew. Honestly, he was surprised that not many Class B students aspired to reach Class A like Elizaveta.

"If you think that's cool, you should see Roderich's soul skill in action," Elizaveta giggled.

"Yeah, he can do something called the souls' harmony. When he activates his soul skill at its fullest potential, he can link everyone who's he deems his ally together telepathically, bringing all their souls in 'harmony.'" Laura explained. "It's extremely useful during battle for coordinating attacks, though he does have a certain range to the link. Still, he sometimes gets Class A assignments when his skill is needed."

Gilbert would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little impressed. A skill like that would be perfect for synchronizing strikes against strong opponents. He didn't expect something like that from the prissy, aristocrat-like Roderich. Maybe all of the Class B students were being underestimated.

For the next few hours, Gilbert hopped from group to group, mingling throughout the room with anyone whose face he recognized. Conversation was always lighthearted and there was plenty of ice cream to go around. It was probably one of the most efficient and productive fundraisers he had ever seen, not to mention it was great to meet new people and chat with fellow demon hunters. It helped that all the Classes intermixed and there was never any true hard feelings between the demon hunters. Perhaps it was because they were all willing to shed their own blood for their cause, protecting mortal souls, and everyone had earned respect for one another. It's a shame that the mundane world didn't always work this way.

Finally, mid-afternoon rolled around and the crowd within the classroom began to shrink and disperse. When Gilbert decided it was time for him to bounce as well, he realized that his friends were both busy, Francis with his date with Michelle, and Antonio with his major demon assignment. So he figured today would be a good day to spend some time with his brother, and if Gilbert acted normal enough, perhaps he could convince Ludwig that everything was ordinary around here. He ended up leaving with Kiku, who was also about to go find Ludwig and Feliciano, and the two found them walking out of the boys' locker rooms five minutes later.

Ludwig looked like he didn't even break a sweat, but it was obvious that he had just come back from working out in the school's mundane gym. Feliciano, however, looked exhausted, panting and breathing hard. Gilbert raised an eyebrow at him, and Feliciano answered between breaths, "Ludwig made me...run so many...laps."

"I think that is a good thing," Kiku chuckled. "How did he motivate you this time?"

"Same as last," Ludwig replied casually, "Promised we'd get food after he ran ten more."

"Ten? Wow, you're a harsh friend, Luddy," Gilbert laughed.

"Let's go the cafe!" Feliciano suggested, "You promised!"

"All right," Ludwig sighed, "Fine, but you're going to waste your work out all over again."

"Let him do what he wants," Gilbert grinned, and the four headed over to Alice's cafe, where she was just re-opening shop since she had only just returned from the ice cream social.

"What can I get you?" Alice asked Feliciano happily.

"Hmm...iced chai, please," he replied, smiley as usual. Alice quickly whipped up his drink as the four took their seats at a table near the counter. Since the cafe had just opened, they were only ones present for now. They easily struck up light conversation, staying away from demon hunting topics with extra caution this time, and Gilbert was relieved that Ludwig didn't look skeptical of him anymore. Jumping from subject to subject, the topic randomly changed when Gilbert teased Ludwig for taking so many hard classes.

"Honestly, Gilbert," Ludwig refuted, "I don't know how you got the scholarship here, especially with the classes you're taking."

Gilbert struggled to maintain a straight face. The truth was, Ludwig's scholarship was fake, and Gilbert was the reason they were both here, but obviously, he wasn't going to say that. "Mein brother," the albino smirked, "The classes I'm taking are better than you think!" Kiku gave a small, knowing smile at Gilbert's hidden implication.

"Ve! Ludwig, tomorrow, since it's Sunday, we should take the subway to the city," Feliciano suggested cheerfully. "We can go to a restaurant and order some pasta! I haven't had pasta in a while." On the weekends, the Venator Academy allowed mundane mortals and demon hunter alike to travel to the closest city or town, granted that they had a good record with the school.

"You just had pasta two days ago," Ludwig pointed out.

"That's a long time to go without pasta for Feliciano," Kiku chortled.

"Maybe _fratello_ will be back from his field trip by then and we can call eat pasta together!" the Italian gushed optimistically.

"You know, I don't think you're brother likes me very much," Ludwig speculated with an indifferent expression.

"Why do you say that?" Feliciano asked peculiarly.

"Well, he's always scowling at me and calling me a potato bastard," the blonde shrugged.

"_Fratello_ doesn't mean it when he says those things," Feliciano assured him, "He's a good person deep down and I think he's a great brother!" For some strange reason, his words struck something in Gilbert's heart, and the albino found it very touching. He knew the real reason Lovino acted the way he did, and knew for sure that Feliciano felt very indebted to his brother for the sacrifice he had made all those years ago. Ludwig may not know it, but the two twins shared a bond that was unlike any other now.

"I'm in," Gilbert said suddenly, grinning broadly again, "For going to the city tomorrow. Sounds good!"

"Hai," Kiku agreed contently, "I'll go as well."

"_Ja_, dinner at a real restaurant would be nice," Ludwig concurred.

Feliciano beamed, that adorable smile of his practically lighting up the room. "Ve, it's going to be so fun!" He had finished his iced chai, and stood up to go throw the empty cup in the trash can near the door. Gilbert smile to himself; Feliciano had such a positive effect on the people around him, and anyone who talked to him couldn't help but want to see him happy and share his upbeat outlook.

But Gilbert's smile quickly faded.

With no warning whatsoever, Feliciano gasped sharply, and collapsed, crumpling to the floor in a fit of raspy, shallow breaths. Alarmed, Gilbert was the first to jump out of his seat and rush to his side, followed by Kiku and Ludwig. "Feli!" Ludwig exclaimed, horror-struck.

"Feliciano?! Wh-what's wrong?!" Gilbert stammered frantically, trying to get a reaction or a response from the Italian, but then Feliciano lost consciousness and broke out into a cold sweat. Alice immediately grabbed for the phone and dialed the school's infirmary and requested emergency medical help. With nothing else to do, Gilbert, Ludwig, and Kiku carefully turned Feliciano over so that now he lay on his back-and all three of them froze in shock and panic. Blood was soaking into Feliciano's shirt and jacket at his midsection, and none of them knew what to do. Snapping out of his horrified trance, Kiku shrugged off his own jacket and peeled back Feliciano's sticky shirt to apply pressure on the injury, but when he did, he hesitated, inspecting the wound with wide eyes.

And Gilbert could see why he was so unhinged. The wound was a large gash running across Feliciano's midsection, but the skin around the lesion was black, as if it had been terribly burned or seared. Kiku hastily covered the gash with his jacket and pressed down to stop the bleeding, but an unnatural amount of blood seeped into the fabric.

"What happened to him?! Where did this come from?" Ludwig sputtered frenetically, a glimpse of trauma flashing in his eyes.

Kiku glanced at Gilbert anxiously, and a dismayed understanding passed between them. Only a demon could have inflicted a wound like this.

Finally Dr. Zwingli rushed into the cafe, followed by Lili, Mr. Karpusi and Mr. Adnan, the latter two carrying a stretcher. With an intense sense of urgency, they swiftly transferred Feliciano onto the stretcher and hurried to the infirmary, Kiku's jacket still covering the wound. After moving him onto the white hospital bed, Dr. Zwingli began treating the wound right away, while Lili hooked him up to an IV and took his blood pressure.

"You three are going to have to wait in the hall," Mr. Adnan told Gilbert, Kiku, and Ludwig, who didn't argue. The three stood just outside the room, distressed and restless, but Ludwig was the most shaken.

"H-how...how did that happen?" the blonde asked unsteadily.

"I don't know," Gilbert shook his head. It was the truth; he didn't know how the hell Feliciano got a demon wound while within the campus, but he did know that it was making him angry. No one gets away with hurting a member of the Venator Academy demon hunting family.

Kiku said nothing, running through all the possibilities in his head silently, trying to deduce what could have happened. Gilbert really wanted to discuss it with him, but Ludwig was around. "Luddy, why don't you go back to the dorm," the albino tried, gritting his teeth.

"What? I can't leave now!" Ludwig protested.

"There's nothing you can do to help him right now, and you don't need to see this," Gilbert continued, more forceful this time.

"You think I can just sit in the room and do nothing?" Ludwig shot back angrily.

Sensing the rising tension, Kiku interrupted, "Ludwig, why don't you go back to the cafe and see if Alice can make Feliciano a hot chocolate."

"What?"

"Feliciano's going to wake up, and nothing will help him recover better than a warm, delicious drink," Kiku explained, "You can help him that way. You know how much he likes hot chocolate."

"...All right," Ludwig said finally, taking a deep breath. With that, he tentatively went back down the hall and rounded the corner, out of sight.

Gilbert exhaled, "Thanks, Kiku." Then, Yao and Francis appeared from around the corner, practically dashing through the hall.

"What are you guys doing here?" Kiku inquired, surprised.

"Yeah, I thought you were with Michelle?" Gilbert asked Francis.

"This is more important," Francis shook his head. "Mr. Karpusi asked me to get Yao as soon he heard what happened to Feliciano."

"You're here to heal him," Kiku said to Yao, the slightest hint of qualm in his voice.

"Of course I'm healing him," Yao repudiated evenly, and this time Kiku didn't answer. Yao was allowed in the room, but Kiku, Gilbert, and Francis waited outside in apprehension.

"Demon must have made that gash," Gilbert affirmed in a low voice.

"That's the only explanation, but how? It's impossible. I didn't sense any other presence in the cafe," Kiku frowned. "It was just us. I'm sure of it."

A moment later, Yao and Mr. Karpusi exited the room with relieved expressions on their faces. "He's all better now. There's not even a scar, aru. He's just resting for now," Yao informed them, and Kiku's gaze flickered to Yao's collarbone uneasily, but Yao pretended not to notice. "Though, it was a bit of a shock for him."

"It was a shock for all of us!" Gilbert exclaimed, "What the hell happened?"

Mr. Karpusi hesitated, but then sighed, realizing that they deserved an answer. "While I was in there, I saw his _pepromene_. You all know the story of the Vargas twins, correct? How Lovino split his soul and now the two all but share a soul? Well, there was another consequence to splitting the soul. The two share an intertwining link that we've never seen before. When one of twins' souls is attacked directly by a demon, the other suffers the same fate. In other words, if one experiences soul damage, so will the other."

"That means," Kiku started, "that Lovino was injured on his assignment. And then Feliciano's soul felt the demon's attack as well." Gilbert clenched his fists. That also meant Antonio and Lovino were in trouble where ever they were.

"Because they share a soul, I can also see Lovino's _pepromene_ when I focus on Feliciano's," Mr. Karpusi continued gravely, "The assignment...has gone terribly wrong."

"What happened to them?" Francis demanded anxiously, dread filling his voice.

"Their assignment was to defeat the demon known as Ater Ignis, or the Black Flame. We thought he was just a fire demon...but he had a secret capability we didn't anticipate. Soul possession."

Kiku inhaled sharply. "Who's soul?"

"Antonio's," Mr. Karpusi answered despondently. Yao and Francis looked overwhelmed with despair.

"What's soul possession?" Gilbert asked restlessly, though he had a pretty good idea what it meant.

"Some demons can invade their host's soul, like a parasite or a leech, and takes full control of the host's body. Slowly, the soul weakens until it's devoured completely, and the demon moves on to another host," Mr. Karpusi explained with a strained expression on his face.

Rage boiled within Gilbert, and he punched the wall in frustration. Antonio...! His good friend, always cheery and outgoing, was possessed? No, no, no! Why him?!

"Oh no..." Yao whispered, biting his lip, and he pointed past Mr. Karpusi and down the hall. Gilbert looked up, and his stomach did a flip.

Ludwig stood at the end of the hall, speechless, cup of hot chocolate at hand, mouth hanging open at what he had heard.

Fuck, really?!

* * *

From the Author: Like the ending? ;)

Dr. Zwingli is Switzerland, Lili is Liechtenstein, Lars is Netherlands, Alice is Belgium, Laura is Monaco. Michelle is Seychelles.

Thanks so much for reading, favoriting, followings, and especially reviewing! Until next chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Do I own Hetalia? Nope.

* * *

"Not now...!" Gilbert muttered under his breath as Ludwig stood at the end of the hall, thunderstruck and still holding the cup of hot chocolate, " Oh fuck me. The universe either hates me or just loves screwing with my life, or both!"

"Probably both," Francis pursed his lips glumly.

"Souls? Demons? What...?!" Ludwig stammered, his mind reeling in a haze of confusion, not to mention he was still getting over seeing the wound in Feliciano's midsection.

"You must have heard incorrectly," Kiku tried meekly, but Ludwig's expression didn't change.

"Y-yeah, we were just talking about an old legend from our Mythology class," Yao attempted sheepishly, but his excuse quickly faltered.

Mr. Karpusi opened his mouth to say something, but then Mr. Vargas came in the hallway, but stopped abruptly, sensing the awkwardness and perplexity in the atmosphere. The headmaster looked from Ludwig, to the others, and back to Ludwig, and frowned. "Looks like we have special situation," he sighed as he walked to up Mr. Karpusi, who whispered something in his ear, probably briefing him on the dilemma. "That's unfortunate," Mr. Vargas said as he glanced back at Ludwig, who still appeared to be in some form of shell shock.

Gilbert knew he had to do something. He had to maintain a mundane life for his brother, right? That was the best way to keep him safe, right? "Ludwig, go back to the dorm," he ordered suddenly, a sternness to his tone for once.

"No," the blonde shook his head stubbornly, snapping out of his stunned state. "What's going on here? Tell me! I have a right to know what happened to Feliciano; he's my friend, too! I deserve an explanation, and the truth!"

"I mean it this time, Ludwig, I really do," Gilbert asserted austerely. "Just listen to me, I'm the older one!" But Ludwig refused to leave, and retained a obstinate, unwavering, hard expression, indicating that he was not going anywhere until he got answers. The younger brother had had suspicions that something was off about the Academy for a while now, but now he was determined to get to the bottom of this. "I can't deal with this right now!" Gilbert clenched his jaw in frustration. And he really couldn't. This was probably the worse time for Ludwig to demand the truth, especially with Antonio and Lovino in peril as they spoke. "Just go!"

The headmaster gave the two brothers a apologetic, yet thoughtful look. Then he turned to Ludwig. "My boy, you have a point. And the truth you shall get."

"What? No, you can't," Gilbert protested, but Kiku stopped him.

"He heard too much already. We have no choice but to tell him now," the Japanese student said consolingly, "Don't worry, Class D is safe."

Mr. Karpusi nodded, "Class D students don't receive assignments and mainly stay within the campus. The only difference is that they know the truth."

Gilbert wanted to argue further, and really badly, too. He had kept up his act for seven freaking years, making Ludwig's life extremely mundane! Ludwig didn't need to know about horrible demons and the dangerous jobs of demon hunters! But the biggest reason Gilbert didn't want Ludwig to know was the fear that once his younger brother found out, he might recall that night seven years ago, when this whole thing began. Once Ludwig knew about the demon hunting world, he was one step closer to finding out what happened in that cave, one step closer to coming across Illedris. But even if he did find out about demon hunting, it wasn't like he would be able to figure out about the soul deal just like that. If Gilbert could keep the soul deal a secret from his fellow classmates, then perhaps Ludwig wouldn't even come closer to discovering it either. Besides, as long as the soul deal remained unbroken, Ludwig's soul was off-limits to Illedris, right? So maybe...it wouldn't be too bad...

"Fine," Gilbert sighed, defeated. "If that demon wasn't out there right now, I'd be saying something different, but since it is..." He knew he had to focus on the more important matters at hand. Like saving his best friend's soul.

Karpusi nodded again and went over to Ludwig, "I think you should take a walk with me. It'll be easier to take it all in when you're out in the fresh air."

"But, Feliciano-" Ludwig started, but Mr. Vargas waved him off.

"He'll be all right. Venator Academy couldn't ask for better medical attention," he smiled softly. "By the way, is that hot chocolate for him? I'll deliver it to my grandson for you." Ludwig blinked, then nodded and gave Mr. Vargas the Styrofoam cup. Reluctantly, the blonde followed Mr. Karpusi out of the infirmary.

Gilbert watched him go with a troubled expression on his face, but Yao reassured him, "Mr. Karpusi will break it to him gently. He's good with handling this sort of stuff."

Mr. Vargas nodded, "As headmaster, I can personally assure you that your brother will be safe and sound within the Academy's halls. No risk will be added upon learning the truth. We never allow mundane mortals to face demons." With that, the headmaster opened the door to Feliciano's room and allowed them all to step inside. Feliciano lay on the bed, calmly asleep, no wound nor pain present. His grandfather was relieved to see him well, but he still appeared disturbed, and for good reason, since Lovino was certainly still in danger.

Dr. Zwingli was checking his blood levels while Mr. Adnan brought the headmaster up to date, "Yao healed his wound and the soul damage, meaning that where ever Lovino is right now, his soul also healed due to their intertwining link. Your other grandson's still alive, but Antonio's soul had been completely overridden by Ater Ignis's soul possession."

"What's going to happen to Antonio? What's the Academy going to do about it?" Gilbert demanded to know.

Mr. Adnan glanced at the albino uneasily, seeming ambivalent with his answer, "Slaying Ater Ignis is imperative. He's too dangerous to be set loose on the country, especially with a demon hunter host."

"You're...you're not saying that we have to..." Yao gulped, biting his lip apprehensively.

"But the only way to destroy Ater Ignis would be to forfeit Antonio's life!" Kiku protested, alarmed, "We would have to destroy the host!"

"What? No, we can't!" Gilbert argued fiercely, "He's one of us! We can't give up on him like that!"

"We have no other choice," Mr. Adnan maintained, "I feel the same way you do, but there's no way for any of us to break the soul possession once the demon has bound itself to its host. Antonio would want us to do this! We can't allow the demon to keep his body and use it for evil, that would disgrace him. If we slay Ater Ignis right away we can still salvage enough of Antonio's soul to send him to the afterlife."

"You're wrong," Francis objected, "There is a way to break the possession! My soul skill allows me to come in contact with others' souls. If the demon is attached to Antonio by his soul, I can attack the demon's essence without killing Antonio. I could pull the demon out!"

"No, the attachment is too strong for you to pull it out during complete possession. And the demon would never allow you to come close enough to touch Antonio's soul without killing you first," Mr. Adnan shook his head.

"But what if we could loosen the attachment? Just enough for Francis to free his soul?" Gilbert suggested. "I could do it! If you're going to give another assignment to slay Ater Ignis, then give it to me! I'll slay that damn monster and save Lovino and Toni's soul!"

"And I'll go with him," Francis affirmed staunchly. "He's our best friend. You have to let us try."

Mr. Adnan opened his mouth to disapprove, but then Mr. Vargas cut him off. "If we give you two this assignment, will you promise me this: you may try to free his soul, but if the task reveals itself to be impossible, will do what it takes to slay the demon, even if that means terminating Antonio's life?"

Gilbert hesitated, but them replied resolutely, "Yes." Francis also agreed.

"All right then," the headmaster gave them a slight nod, "You two take this assignment. Mr. Adnan, please give them the necessary information." At first, the Turkish man looked up at Mr. Vargas in disbelief, but the slowly turned to Gilbert and Francis.

"According to Mr. Karpusi's vision, you'll find Ater Ignis and Antonio along with Lovino at the Empyrean Temple, northeast of here. I'm not sure how much longer the demon will remain there, so if you're going after them, you better hurry."

"I know where that is," Francis nodded.

"Good luck," Mr. Vargas added.

"I know you can do it," Yao said in full support. "Bring them home!"

"Hai, the Academy won't be the same without either of them," Kiku concurred.

"You got it," Gilbert grinned, and then he and Francis headed to the subway immediately, hurrying out of the infirmary. On their way out, Gilbert said to his friend, "We can't afford to fail this time. We can't be a trio without Toni!"

"Yeah, this demon will be sorry he ever decided to mess with one of us!"

* * *

The subway ride to their destination was tense for the both of them, each trying their hardest not to think about what would have to happen if they could not free Antonio's soul. Did Gilbert have the strength to do it? Could he end his friend's life? If the attachment was permanent, then Antonio would want him to forgo his life and slay the demon...no, that wasn't going to happen because Gilbert would free Antonio no matter what. And then there was Lovino. If his wound matched the one that Feliciano had, then the demon must have tried to kill him, and probably would have if Yao had not healed both their souls through the sharing-soul-link thing. Gilbert just couldn't sit still in the stupid subway and wait; it was killing him! Anything could be happening right now and he was just sitting there doing nothing!

Finally the torturous ride came to their stop, and Gilbert and Francis rushed out of the station and made for the temple, which was a good five mile trek through the woods at the base of the small mountain range. The two demon hunters made fast progress though, not wasting a minute; Gilbert wasn't about to make the same mistake two assignments in a row and arrive too late. But even as they swiftly covered ground, the pair could tell there was something unsettling disturbing what should have been peaceful woodland animals. Birds seems to be migrating out of the trees as quickly as possible in every direction, while rabbits, squirrels, and foxes scurried past them, fleeing as if their lives depended on it. A cougar even scrambled to leave the area, darting right by them without even considering having human teenagers for dinner.

And at last the Empyrean Temple was in their sights, the pointy roofs of the pagoda-like structure rising up above the tree line. When Gilbert and Francis approached the entrance, they slowed their pace to a cautious skulk. The elegant yet simple entrance to the temple was a traditional _paifang_, an oriental gate-like archway, but what marred its gracefulness was the blood that was smeared across the white pillars. And on the uppermost beam, a clear message was written in human blood: Mortal souls shall burn.

Ignoring the disconcerting archway, the two continued inside the temple grounds, which was eerily quiet, even for a place of worship. There was a square, paved courtyard just beyond the entrance, a tall pagoda with five stories just across the pavement. At each corner of the courtyard stood a pedestal that should have had some sort of statue sitting on it, except for the statues had been smashed, reduced to rubble that lay around the pedestals. But there was one larger pedestal at the very center of the courtyard, and its statue had also been obliterated to tiny pieces of stone. A bronze plaque lay at the bottom of the pedestal, but blood was also used to rewrite its message: Fire will consume all.

But that wasn't what caught Gilbert's attention. Lovino's unconscious form lay sprawled out just behind the middle pedestal, his clothes bloodstained and caked with dirt. A sense of urgency coming over him, Gilbert ran to kneel by his side followed by Francis, checking for any serious injuries,. There were none, thank goodness, but Gilbert imagined if Yao had not used his soul skill on his twin, Lovino would be much worse off right now.

"Lovino! Wake up, can you hear me?" Gilbert said, shaking the Italian's shoulders lightly. For a moment, there was no response, but then, to their relief, Lovino stirred, groaning inwardly. Slowly, his eyes opened.

"...What...?" Lovino mumbled, his body weak and beyond exhausted. But suddenly, his memories returned to him, and he blinked, perking up noticeably. "Antonio! Where the fuck is he?"

"We were about to ask you," Francis frowned.

"The gash, it's gone," Lovino furrowed his brow, putting his hand to his midsection in confusion.

"When you were injured, Feliciano also felt the wound," Gilbert explained, "But Yao healed him, and you indirectly. What the hell happened?!"

Lovino cursed again, remembering what happened before he passed out. "Damnit, that bastard! All the other mortals from this temple are dead, and now that son of a bitch has Antonio-"

His tirade was cut short when a strikingly familiar laughter resounded from within the pagoda. "How I love it when mortal souls so foolishly wander into my territory! And yours look especially scrumptious!"

Gilbert almost couldn't believe his ears. That was Antonio's voice, jaunty and sprightly as if he were talking about one of Alice's cakes. And then the Spaniard himself stepped out from the shadows within the dark room of the pagoda, but he didn't look anything like he did when he left for the assignment.

He wore a white tunic and dark brown buckskin pants paired with black leather boots. Over the tunic he had a flamboyant, scarlet knee-length overcoat with golden tassels at the shoulders and a handkerchief tucked in at his collarbone. On top his messy brown hair and what must have been a red bandana sat a tricorne hat, with a plume of fine, white feathers adding to the effect. But perhaps the worst part of his whole appearance was the expression of sadistic delight, his leering smile contorted to one of sick, twisted amusement that came from murder, his green eyes daunting with cruel entertainment. It was chillingly strange to Gilbert and Francis; normally those same green eyes were so open and warm, but now they were malicious and inhumane.

Finally, Gilbert mustered up enough wits to speak through the shock of seeing his dear friend this way, "What's with the pirate get-up?"

"Hmm? You like it?" Antonio, no, Ater Ignis, sneered, "It's much better than what he was wearing when he came here. It's so much more...wicked. The host of the Black Flame must always look dashing and intimidating!"

"Where did he even get those clothes?" Francis mutter, irritated.

"The bastard can create material objects from thin air or something," Lovino griped.

"Thin air? Hardly," Ater Ignis rolled Antonio's eyes at his ignorance. "Now that I have a host soul, I can use the energy however I please. Making an improved outfit is just the start. Just wait until I summon the flames of hell! Anyway," he moved on, as if this were casual conversation, still eyeing Lovino thoughtfully, "I was going to save your soul for tonight's dinner, but these other two souls are just too appetizing to pass up! So I guess you'll have to stick around another night, Lovi."

Lovino's eyes widened. "H-how did you know...?" Only Antonio ever called him that!

Ater Ignis laughed Antonio's lighthearted laugh again. "Well, I am feeding off this host's soul, aren't I? I have access to all his emotions and memories." And just to prove it, he turned towards the other two, "And you must be Gilbert and Francis! His good friends I might add."

Unbelievable anger quickly replaced Gilbert's shock. How dare he use Antonio's soul and body like this? What kind of demon was this? Using someone else's strength and memories as their own...it was cowardly, the actions of a lowlife parasite. And he would not let anyone get away with stealing his friend's soul! "Hey," Gilbert called, loudly and clearly, "Antonio, it's about time we brought you back to the Academy. Everyone's starting to get worried about you. Come on, let's go already."

Francis and Lovino frowned at him, puzzled. But Ater Ignis just jeered at him, "You mean my host? Sorry to have to tell you this, but your friend's long gone. There's only the Black Flame in control of this body! There's no point in trying to reach him. He's as good as dead."

"You're lying!" Francis shouted vehemently. "He's still in there somewhere, and we're going to bring him home!"

"Is that a challenge?" A unsettling grin stretched from ear to ear on Antonio's face, eyes glittering with sardonic excitement. "Well, this'll be a good warm up for me to try out my new body. Ha, I haven't had a demon hunter host in ages! It feels invigorating!" As he spoke, Ater Ignis held out Antonio's hand and a silver double-edge sword materialized in his palm.

Gilbert's mouth fell open for a moment. That was _his_ move! What the hell! Weapon making was his specialty, that's not fair!

But Ater Ignis wasn't done just yet. Suddenly, black flames flared up from the sword's blade, the dark fires licking the air just around the weapon. So this was the true power of the Black Flame, a demon of fire. Lovino winced when he saw the black flames, his hand moving subconsciously to his midsection, and Gilbert guessed that that same weapon had inflicted the wound that pierced and burned him earlier. "Behold!" Antonio's voice rang out maliciously, "The demonic fires of the Underworld that shall reduce you to ashes!"

While the demon boasted, Francis said in a low voice, "I need an opening in his guard. If I can just come in contact with him, then maybe I can pull the demon out of his body."

"Right, then I'll create the diversion," Gilbert nodded slightly, Ater Ignis still distracted by his own arrogance, "I'll try to weaken the attachment. Lovino, can you fight?"

"I'm sore as fuck, but there's no way I'm sitting back and watching this one," Lovino nodded, but the Italian was weaponless at the moment, so Francis handed him his spare dagger.

Gilbert summoned another selective set of weapons to his own hands. He seldom ever used twin hook swords, two four-foot-long poles, each with an arched blade at one end, along with a small spear tip at the other end just below the handle and the crescent guard; however, this was the perfect situation since he didn't intend on slashing Antonio's body to death, only to grab his attention and keep him busy. Pointing one hooked end at the demon in his friend's body, Gilbert called out fiercely, "Listen here, demon, this is the end of the line! There's no way I'm letting you walk out of here with Toni's soul!"

The Spaniard just chuckled forebodingly, "Aw, but could you hurt your dear friend? To kill me you'll have to kill him, too. Oh well, I always knew friendship was so disposable. Anyway, let's see what this body can do!" Grasping the fiery sword's hilt with a cruel grin, Ater Ignis rocketed from his place across the courtyard, assailing toward Gilbert with unprecedented speed that wasn't humanly possible, even for a demon hunter.

And suddenly Ater Ignis was before him, swinging his flaming sword with the intention if decapitating Gilbert. Barely able to register what was happening in time, Gilbert ducked, but the Spaniard whirled around and thrust his foot into the albino's gut. The blow was much stronger than he would have veered guessed. The demon essence combined with Antonio's soul must have exponentially increased his physical strength and speed. Gilbert felt as if he had been kicked in the stomach by a full grown male stallion, and lost his balance, stumbling backwards involuntarily.

Before Ater Ignis could strike him again, Francis took the offensive, brandishing his sword, trying to get close enough to their opponent to make physical contact. However, Ater Ignis was using Antonio's skillful swordsmanship against him, slashing and jabbing with superhuman intensity. Francis could barely check all his strikes, their weapons clanging throughout the courtyard as they clashed. To make matters worse, Francis had to be wary of the hot black flames emanating from Ater Ignis's blade, which were sure to leave more than just fourth- degree burns on his flesh, but also sear the victim's soul upon impact, as with Lovino when he was cut.

But Francis was able to hold on long enough wait for the right time to try a disarming combination, in which he started with a feint jab to the neck to force Ater Ignis to block with his blade, and then Francis would immediately shove his palm into Ater Ignis's exposed stomach. However, instead of checking the feint as anticipated, Ater Ignis sidestepped quickly, gingerly moving back out of Francis's reach. The demon leered, contorting Antonio's usually dynamic smile into a impious one. He pointed to his cranium, and derided, "I have all of his memories, remember? I know your style of fighting just as well as he does. And I know your soul skill, too. You think you can tear apart the attachment and save your friend's soul? How foolish of you to even try! The tie between my essence and his soul is too interlocked for your weak skill!"

Ater Ignis paused, glancing at his flaming sword as if in thought. The fires died down, until the blade appeared to be a simple double-edge sword without any demonic abilities. "That's better," the demon said to himself, satisfied, "I wouldn't want my flames to burn through your souls so soon, or else I won't get a taste! I'll just kill you naturally and then eat your souls after." Well, there was certainly nothing natural about that kind of death.

Francis steadied himself again, this time aware that old tricks weren't going to work against someone who'd seen them all already. Lovino also came to the French student's side, wielding only the spare dagger. Gilbert regained his footing, clutching the grips of his hook swords and clenching his jaw intrepidly. With Antonio's original capabilities intensified tenfold by the demon, all three of them would have to challenge him at once if they wanted to penetrate his defense. It was a scrupulous situation, fighting someone ready to kill, but having to abstain from killing him, putting the three demon hunters at a serious disadvantage. Even still, with Antonio's soul at stake, they were willing to go to extreme measures. The three charged the Spaniard simultaneously, but Ater Ignis didn't look the least bit worried.

First, Gilbert tried to use the end of his weapon to catch Ater Ignis's ankle, and then yank backwards to pull him off balance while Francis attacked his upper body and Lovino dashed in from his side to overwhelm the demon. But instead, their adversary leapt a full foot off the ground just before Gilbert could hook his ankle, while at the same time driving the heel of his boot into Francis's chest and using his blade to check Lovino's dagger.

Gilbert realized that there was no room for error, not when fighting a swordsman as skilled as him. And he couldn't afford to let Ater Ignis get a direct strike either, or it was game over. Almost immediately, Gilbert surged forward again, slash quickly with both his swords relentlessly. But Ater Ignis's reflexes were too good; he was able to block every single attack with his own blade without even breaking a sweat. They ended up moving around the courtyard as they fought, their weapons ringing out with that metallic clang whenever they crossed. Lovino gritted his teeth, knowing that this kind of battle was way beyond his level, especially with nothing but a simple knife. Francis watched their every move carefully, trying to spot the weakness in Ater Ignis's form, but could find none. Even still, he waited for the perfect moment to enter the fray and join Gilbert without getting in the way. Finally, Francis saw his chance, and lunged for the demon, swinging his own sword.

Ater Ignis saw him coming out of the corner of his eye. Without giving Gilbert or Francis any time to register his movements, he swiftly used the heel of his foot to sweep Gilbert's front leg out from under him, throwing the albino, who was still in mid-swing, completely off-balance. As Gilbert stumbled, Ater Ignis grabbed the collar of his shirt and hurled him Francis's way. Gilbert crashed into his partner, and the two hit the ground hard, rolling over each other. The demon laughed, amused, and Lovino knew it was his turn to do something while his allies recovered. Gripping his knife and swallowing down any doubt, the Italian pressed his opponent, moving as fast as his body would let him.

However, it was obvious from the start that Lovino was no match for the Spaniard, especially with the combined might of the demon's essence. Even still, Lovino didn't give up; he had to weaken to demon in order to weaken the attachment! But in a matter of moments, the duel went very bad for him.

Lovino was no longer able to keep up with the demon, and was purely in a defensive stance by this point. But Ater Ignis, faster and wielding the longer blade, easily broke his guard. Cuts and gashes seem to just spontaneously inflict Lovino's body; the sword was moving so rapidly he couldn't see it slice him. Simpering evilly, a gesture that just looked so out of place on Antonio's face, Ater Ignis forcefully knocked the dagger right out of Lovino's hand, then drove his knee into his gut with superhuman strength. Lovino slammed into the empty pedestal in the middle of the courtyard, crumpling to the ground, coughing out blood that splattered on the pavement.

Ater Ignis's blade glinted forebodingly as he eyed the fallen Italian, smacking his lips. But before he could take another step Francis and Gilbert stepped in his way, breathing hard, but ready for another round. The demon sighed, as if bored, "You still want to fight me? You'll never win, you must see that by now. I really am starving, so I think I'll just end this right now." His demeanor was so arrogant and nonchalant, adjusting his tricorne hat as he spoke.

Then, lunging so fast he appeared to have teleported, suddenly Ater Ignis was just inches in front of Francis, connecting his fist with bottom of his jaw in an uppercut punch and then slamming his palm into his sternum, a blow so powerful it set Francis flying back before he could even react. Thinking fast, Gilbert sliced upward with one of his hook swords. Ater Ignis jumped back just out of range, and Gilbert stabbed forward with his other sword. The demon deflected his strike, then sprang forward, raising his blade over his head and then bringing it down hard in an arch motion. Making an X with his two swords, Gilbert barely blocked his face in time, but the demon threatened to overpower him, pushing against his blades with his own, creating tiny sparks.

He put all the strength he had left into his arms, but it still wasn't enough to push Ater Ignis back. That's when he caught the malicious gleam in those familiar green eyes. All of a sudden, his adversary's weapon burst into black flames, forcing Gilbert to recoil to avoid being burned. But as he did, his hook swords disintegrated into dust, sifting out of his grasp. While he was defenseless, the demon pressed forward, his weapon returning to normal, cruel laughter on his lips, grabbing Gilbert by the throat, and throwing him to the ground.

The next thing Gilbert knew, there was an aching pain throughout his whole body and the tip of a sword hovering about his head. "Finally!" Ater Ignis snickered, "It's been a while since I feasted on a demon hunter soul."

"Gilbert!" Francis cried out, but he was too far away to help. He was still dizzy from his last blows; he'd never make it in time.

The demon cocked his sword back, about to take Gilbert's life and soul for good, but his red eyes weren't focused on his blade, but instead on his wild green eyes. Even though there was a wicked, ravenous expression on Antonio's face, Gilbert didn't miss the tear escape his eye and roll down his cheek.

"Antonio!" Gilbert shouted desperately, trying to call his friend back, knowing he was still in there. But it was no use; he didn't drop his sword. When the Spaniard's arm tensed, ready to go for the kill, Gilbert braced himself for was what sure to be a piercing pain.

Then an hand clasped the demon's shoulder. Startled, Ater Ignis whirled around to see Lovino, weaponless, blood dripping down the side of his head and trickling from the corners of his mouth. "Tomato bastard," he muttered, one hand clutching a wound on his other arm, breathing heavily, "What's taking you so long? You should be back by now."

"Impudent fool," Ater Ignis growled, striking Lovino across the jaw. The Italian lurched sideways with a grunt, but maintained his footing.

"Hey Antonio," Lovino continued, as if nothing had happened, a defiant expression on his face, though his voice was strained, as if it hurt to talk, but he talked anyway. "Remember what you said when you asked me to come with you on this assignment? I asked why the hell you would want me along, and you said you'd prove to me that my soul wasn't going to be broken forever. Then you told me you'd protect me. Remember?"

"Your friend his gone!" Ater Ignis roared angrily, but something flashed in his eyes, for brief seconds, and Lovino saw it. The demon struck Lovino again across his cheekbone, but he took the hit, not even make any move to defend himself.

Gilbert started to get up from, the demon's back to him, knowing he had to help Lovino, but the Italian sent him a fleeting, warning glare, telling him to stay out of it for now. Gilbert hesitated, unsure whether listen to him or not, but Lovino quickly returned his attention to the demon.

"Well, guess what," he said, ignoring the pain. "I'm going to protect you this time around, got it, tomato bastard?"

Ater Ignis inhaled sharply, and clenched his jaw. Then he shook his head and tightened his grip on his sword, snarling, "I'll kill you, pathetic mortal!" With that, he lunged at Lovino, swinging his sword with incredible force.

Gilbert scrambled to his feet, but knowing he would be too late. "No!"

The sword stopped a inch before Lovino's neck, its wielder's arm shaking violently. More tears spilled out of Antonio's green eyes, but his expression was still vicious. Lovino remained unfazed and firm, "Well? If you're gone, Antonio, who's going to prove to me that my soul can change? Are you going to break your fucking promise so soon? I actually trusted you, I really did! And I still do! So hurry the hell up already and come back!"

The sword clattered to the ground. The Spaniard clasped his hands on his head, convulsing and shuddering severely. "No, no, no!" he cried hysterically. His eyes were wild as he madly shook his head, yelling at himself. "Just stay down! _Submit_!"

Francis was standing up now as well, drawing closer while their foe's attention was focused on Lovino. The attachment was weakening! Lovino raised his voice, "Keep fighting, Antonio! Don't you dare give up!"

"You can beat him, Antonio!" Gilbert called, putting all this faith into his good friend. His soul was strong enough to do it. It had to be. "Just hold on a little longer!"

Francis was running now, knowing this was it, his opportunity. Finally, as soon as he was close enough too, he reached out and grabbed his friend's arm. For a brief second, time seem to freeze, the two standing very still while Gilbert and Lovino held their breaths. Then, when Francis retracted his arm, a black quintessence was expelled from the Spaniard's heart, and Antonio reeled sideways woozily until he steadied himself, his eyes regaining that valor that could only mean that he was really back. Francis fell to his knees, huffing, dropping his sword at his side. Breaking the attachment had used up a lot of his soul energy, but he was glad to see his old friend in control of his own soul again.

But it wasn't over just yet. The evil essence condensed before them until it took the form of a humanoid made of black fire that glowered at them vengefully. "You filthy, worthless mortals! All of your souls shall burn!" The palms of the demon's hands blazed even hotter, the flames dancing perilously.

"I won't let you hurt them ever again!" Antonio shouted vehemently, taking up Francis's sword. Just before Ater Ignis could unleash his devouring fire, Antonio leapt towards him, slashing his sword right through the demon's fiery epitome. "Go back from whence you came, _monstruo_!"

The demon gave an ear-splitting shriek as his black flames morphed, giving off white light instead. The next moment, there was a flash of blinding light and a echoing _bang_! And when the light faded, there was nothing left of Ater Ignis, the demon of the Black Flame.

Gilbert and Francis were about to congratulate their friend, when Lovino collapsed to the ground out of fatigue from pushing his body over his limit. Dropping his weapon, Antonio didn't even stop to take in the fact he had just slain a major demon, but rushed to kneel by the Italian's side.

"Took you long enough, you bastard," Lovino muttered meekly, swallowing back blood that left a sticky, metallic taste in his mouth. He barely had enough strength left to utter those words, before slowly closing his eyes and losing consciousness.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Antonio whispered, his lower lip trembling in shame at what he had done to his partner. This time, tears were streaming down his cheeks uncontrollably. He couldn't believe he had done this to him. How could be have been so weak? It was all his fault!

Gilbert and Francis exchanged worried glances, and Francis suggested, "Let's go back to the Academy. Dr. Zwingli will put him back in good shape."

"R-right," Antonio nodded numbly, and Francis and Gilbert help him pick up Lovino so they could carry him back to the subway station.

As they walked past the _paifang_ entrance of the temple, Gilbert took a quick glance back at the message Ater Ignis had smeared on the top beam with blood...and almost stumbled, losing his balance in shock.

"What's wrong, Gil?" Francis frowned, raising en eyebrow.

"Er, it's nothing," Gilbert shook his head, and Francis just shrugged it off, more focused on getting out of here, and they kept moving forward.

But something was definitely eating at Gilbert on the inside. He can't believed he hadn't noticed it before, but then again, he was more concerned about finding Antonio when they came. But now that he had seen it...what did it mean?

The message that Ater Ignis had written was still the same: Mortal souls shall burn. But the "o" in the word "souls" wasn't just a circle. It was a symbol that Gilbert would recognize anywhere.

The Ouroboros Mark.

* * *

From the Author: :D Finally reached this point in the story!

Ater Ignis literally means Black Flame in Latin (at least according to Google translate).

I love making plot development~ The story can only pick up from here and I'm so excited, so I hope you all are too! I really enjoyed typing up this particular chapter, and I hope you all enjoyed it just as much! I'd love to hear your opinions and thoughts, and thanks so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following! All your guys' reviews have totally inspired me to improve with each new chapter! Thanks and until next chapter!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own hetalia!

* * *

Gilbert was both physically and mentally exhausted as he trudged up the dorm stairs to get to his floor. Lovino was already under Dr. Zwingli's care in the infirmary, and as was Antonio, so that the instructors could make sure there wasn't any lasting soul damage done to his soul by the possession. As for the report, Gilbert and Francis decided who would do it over rock-paper-scissors, and naturally Gilbert won two out of three. Finally, Gilbert reached his dorm, but when he stepped inside, his heart plummeted.

Ludwig sat on his bed, arms folded across his chest, narrowing his eyes as his brother expectantly. Damn, Gilbert had totally forgotten that Karpusi had told Ludwig everything! Aw crap...

Gilbert gave a nervous laugh, "...Hey, brother...you've been up this whole time waiting for me?"

Eyebrow twitching in irritation, Ludwig stood up to be eye level with his brother. "Yes. Now that I know what the hell you've been up to all these years, I couldn't sleep!"

"Not now, Luddy," Gilbert sighed, "I just got back..."

"Mr. Karpusi told me all about the demons and demon hunters. He told me about soul skills, too, and the assignments. I know what "Class" means now," Ludwig continued, ignoring Gilbert's last statement, "Kiku and Yao confirmed it. Feliciano did, too, and now I know how he got that wound. It was from a demon, wasn't it? This whole time, Gilbert! You've been risking your life and fighting these monsters, and you never once told me about? Don't you think that as your brother, I deserved to know?"

"No," Gilbert shook his head, voice austere, "You didn't need to know; you're mundane! Knowing would have just made things worse for you. If I could erase your memory right now, I would! I did it to protect you!"

"I can't believe you never told me sooner! What if you had been killed? I'd have never known why! I'd have been all alone. That's not protection. All those scars and bruises, now I know where they come from."

"This is exactly why I never said anything. I knew you'd worry about it, but you shouldn't have to. Maybe I just wanted you to live a normal life, a happy life," Gilbert shot back.

"Brother..." Ludwig trailed off sadly, "I don't think either of us have ever lived completely normal and happy lives." From the look in those blue eyes, Gilbert knew he was thinking about the day their parents died, and about the different foster homes and orphanages they were shuttled into. "You're the only family I have left, Gil. If I lost you too...it-it wouldn't be a happy life."

Without warning, Gilbert grabbed his brother and drew him into a warm embrace. "I won't leave you alone. I promise." When he pulled away, Gilbert added with a grin, "You don't have to worry about me, little brother! I'm too awesome to die! If Mr. Karpusi told you about my soul skill, then you should know that you have no reason to worry at all! And we have a new family here, Luddy. The demon hunters here, they're all awesome people!"

"I know," Ludwig agreed, "To tell you the truth, I really like it here. On Monday, I'll be going to Class D, but there's not much of a difference in the subjects. They're mostly mundane classes, except for a soul theoretics class at the end of school."

"I guess that's okay," Gilbert caved in, "What's done is done. Anyway, I'm tired as hell, so I'm going to crash now."

"Fine we'll talk tomorrow then," Ludwig nodded reluctantly, though it was evident he wanted to know more. As the two crawled into bed and under the covers, the blonde added in a low voice just before drifting off, "You know, even though it's really dangerous, I'm proud of you for saving souls."

"Told you I'm awesome," Gilbert grinned as he stared up at the dark ceiling. But in the back of his mind he thought about the Ouroboros Mark that was permanently inked above his shoulder blade. Perhaps he was nothing to be proud of.

* * *

Gilbert and Ludwig awoke the next morning to an urgent knock on their door. Hopping out of bed and rubbing his eyes, Gilbert opened it to see Arthur standing out in the hall, a strained expression on his face. "Gilbert," he started, laconically getting right to the point, "I thought you should know, the Council's made a decision regarding Antonio's case."

"Huh? Council? Toni's case? What are you talking about?" Gilbert asked, not quite fully awake just yet.

"You didn't know?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, "After what happened at the Empyrean Temple yesterday, the Council of Hunters was furious with the outcome."

"What's that?" Gilbert frowned, scratching his head.

"Seriously? The Council is comprised of the thirteen headmasters of the demon hunting academies across the globe. You didn't think we were the only one, did you?" Arthur explained dubiously, "Anyways, they make all the major decisions by voting. Mr. Vargas is one of them."

"So what's all this about Toni's case? The demon's gone," Gilbert inquired, puzzled.

"Well...all the mortals that were inside the temple were slaughtered, and then Ater Ignis took over Antonio's body and used it to deface the temple and attack you and Francis, and even hospitalized Lovino. The rest of the Council didn't take that too well."

"But it wasn't his fault! The demon did that, not Antonio," Gilbert objected defensively.

"I know, I know, but the Council doesn't see it that way. They said Antonio was weak by letting the demon possess him that way. They think he's not a good enough hunter, so they've decided to strip him of his Class A status," Arthur said grudgingly.

"What?! They can't do that! That demon was powerful, it probably could have possessed any of us! And Antonio was the one who defeated Ater Ignis!"

"I see that," Arthur nodded, "But the Council doesn't. After the wreckage of the temple, somebody has to be punished, so they're taking it out on Antonio. Look, Kim's at the headmaster's office right now, and I'm going there too. I just thought you should go help Francis comfort Antonio in his dorm."

"Okay, but you'll argue his case for me, right?" Gilbert demanded, and Arthur nodded again before heading out of the building. "Sorry, Luddy, but I have to go!" the albino said before immediately going to the dorm next door and knocking loudly.

Francis answered the door, letting Gilbert step inside before shutting it again with a despondent look about him. Antonio sat on his bed dejectedly, hands clenched at his sides, staring at the ground numbly. Francis returned to sitting on one side, patting his back consolingly, unable to find words that could cheer his friend up.

"I can't believe this!" Gilbert exclaimed heatedly, "Who do those Council people think they are? I haven't even heard of them before today. This is so un-awesome and unfair. They can't take you out of Class A!"

"You're not helping," Francis scoffed as Antonio sniffed softly.

"You're right, we need a solution," Gilbert said thoughtfully, "I know, we'll boycott Class A. The three of us stick together, whatever stupid class they put us in."

"No, don't do that," Antonio shook his head hollowly. "It's not Mr. Karpusi or Adnan's, or even the headmaster's fault. It's my punishment. I have to just accept it. It's what I get for letting the demon take over."

"What?! No, it's not!" Gilbert argued firmly, "You're not weak, Toni. Francis and I both know that. You belong with the Class A family."

"Yeah, no one here thinks that you should be punished, _mon ami_," Francis agreed.

"B-but...I failed. The demon killed all those people before I could do anything, and then used me to hurt you guys! I-I almost killed you...and Lovi...and if it weren't for you guys, Ater Ignis would still be in control," Antonio said with a shaky voice, trembling with hopelessness and distress.

"That's not true," Gilbert attested, "You weakened the attachment for Francis, and then you were the one who killed him! It's not your-"

He was cut short when there was another bang on the door, followed by a "Tomato bastard! It's me, so open up!"

At the sound of his voice, Antonio flinched, then buried his face in his hands. "It's Lovi...I can't face him right now, not yet! Not after what I did to him..." he muttered hysterically. Seeing that Antonio was clearly not ready to see his Italian friend, Gilbert sighed and quickly stepped out into the hallway where Lovino waited before closing the door shut, preventing Lovino from seeing inside.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Lovino huffed at the albino, "I want to see Antonio."

"Look, now's really not the best time," Gilbert said evenly, "He can't see you right now."

"And why the fuck not?" Lovino demanded.

"He just can't, okay?" he snapped, "Will you at least try to be a little sensitive for once!"

"After what happened yesterday, he's just going to avoid me? I think I deserve to fucking talk to him in person."

Gilbert was about to retort, when the door behind him swung open and Antonio stood in the doorway, a downcast dreariness about his eyes. "H-hola Lovi..." He stammered softly, his voice cracking a little, "If you're here to yell at me that you hate me, go ahead. I-I don't blame you for being angry at me, after all I did...after I hurt you a-and almost killed you. I told you I'd save your soul but I only made things worse. You have a right to be mad at me." Antonio braced himself for verbal assault, but there was only silence for a moment.

Finally, Lovino answered, "You idiot! You think that I hate you? Dammit bastard, the only reason I'd hate you right now is for making me say this out loud! You didn't do any of that, the fucking demon did, all right? So quit being stupid and thinking it's all your fault and that you're a failure because you're not! And...and you didn't break your promise, okay? You did save my soul. There, I said it. You freaking proved me wrong. I... never thought that a person like me, with only the bad half of a soul, could...could ever have a friend like you." By that last sentence, the Italian seemed to be forcing himself to admit it, but Antonio's mood was completely turned upside down.

"Did I really do it, Lovi?" Antonio asked, his smile absolutely glowing.

"Y-yeah, don't make me say it again, tomato bastard," he grumbled, looking away. With jubilant spirit, Antonio flung his arms around his friend, who flushed, startled. "Get off me! And don't ever expect me to say anything like that again, tomato bastard!"

As Lovino struggled to push the happy Spaniard off, Francis whispered to Gilbert, "I guess Class B won't too miserable for him. And after a few months, I'm sure the Council will get over themselves and let him test back into Class A."

"I still think it's bullshit," Gilbert said in a low voice, "But I guess now we don't have to boycott Class A. Which is good because Elizaveta would kill me if I couldn't help her get there."

* * *

Now that Antonio had Lovino for company, Francis decided to go find Michelle and compensate for the half-of-a-date he had lost going on the emergency assignment to the Empyrean Temple. So Gilbert ended up changing into work-out attire and heading off to the Hunter's Gym. It was Sunday, so no classes would be using it today. Gilbert would rather train outside of campus in the forest clearing, but he thought maybe he could just happen to walk in and find one of the instructors inside the Gym or something, and maybe they could give him a few pointers. When he got there however, there was only one other person practicing in the middle of the chalked circle.

"Roderich? Wow, I never thought you were the one to go out and work out by yourself," Gilbert said as he strolled inside nonchalantly.

Roderich paused, a fist outstretched in the air. He straightened himself, and raised an eyebrow at him, "And why do you say that?"

"I don't know," Gilbert shrugged, "You just seem more...brains than brawns I guess."

"Both are important for demon hunters," Roderich replied smoothly. "But I am surprised to see you here instead of in the forest for once."

"Well, I though Adnan might be here or something," Gilbert answered, letting a little disappointment slip into his voice, "So he could help me with this soul projection technique I'm trying to learn."

"Is that so? What technique?" he asked curiously, his glasses glinting intelligently.

"Laura gave me the idea at the ice cream social, actually," the albino explained, "She asked me if I could use my soul skill to create weapons that could leave my hand. The idea sounds really awesome, but I'm not exactly sure how to do it."

"As it so happens," Roderich gave a small, knowing smirk, "I've studied soul projection and its different forms. I had to give a presentation on that skill a while back, so I think I can help you."

"Seriously?" Gilbert blinked, surprised. He was the last person he'd expect legitimate help from.

Roderich nodded, adjusting his glasses. "What you're trying to do requires a lot more soul energy than what you're used to expending. Creating weapons that are long lasting is similar to the kind of soul projection Arthur uses. When he releases his blasts, he shoots out his own soul's energy, and then regenerates what was lost right away, an extraordinary talent that comes naturally to him. Other demon hunters have the ability to regenerate their souls, but not as fast. I assume that when you let go of your weapon, it crumbles to dust and your energy returns to your soul?" He waited for Gilbert to nod, then continued, "That way, you have the strength to continue the fight and make more weapons. If you wanted to make a weapon that could leave your touch, you would have to invest your energy into the object itself. You'd need to focus on the weapon the entire time it wasn't in your grasp. You'd need to make sure the energy you've put into it stays solid and let that energy leave your soul for good."

"What do you mean 'for good'?"

"As in, you can't recall that energy back into your soul," Roderich said matter-of-factly, "Instead, you'd have to wait for your soul energy to regenerate itself. This technique would be very demanding of your soul and would enervate your energy quickly. The way you use your skill right now is actually more effective."

"Yeah, but if I need to arm a friend who was defenseless, I wouldn't be much help," Gilbert frowned. "Besides, it wouldn't hurt to learn how."

"All right," Roderich nodded, "Why don't you start by making a dart."

"Easy," Gilbert simpered, and within a few seconds, he held a small, sharp dart between two fingers.

"Now throw it at me."

"What? You sure? As much as I want to hit you with it, Lizzie will kill me if I end up impaling you."

Rolling his eyes, he nodded, "Yes, I'm sure. Your aim's probably not even good enough to strike me. And you're only about ten feet away."

"Okay, you're asking for it," Gilbert huffed indignantly, cocking his arm back to launch the dart. But as soon as he let go, the dart itself deteriorated, and turned to dust before it could even make it half way to his target.

"I told you, you need to focus on the energy! If you don't make your soul energy leave your body with the dart, then the weapon won't stay solid," the Austrian reprimanded.

"Okay, okay, let me try again," he persisted, forming another dart in his hand. This time, he paid special attention to the essence that was holding the dart itself intact. It was his own essence after all, so he had to stay in tune with it. As he hurled the second dart, he felt as if he were also pushing energy out from his body, the energy that was sustaining the dart. Forcing the energy to leave his soul as the dart left his grip, he concentrated on the tiny weapon astutely. However, it made the journey halfway to its target before it experienced the first dart's fate, disintegrating before it could reach Roderich.

"Better, but not quite. You didn't put enough energy into it, so it couldn't remain stabilized for very long after it left your grasp," he explained.

"Okay, I think I get it," Gilbert nodded, "One more go!" Summoning yet another dart to his hand, he took a deep breath before flinging the small blade at his fellow student. He did as the Austrian had said, pushing some of his own soul energy out of himself, putting it into the weapon. Lo and behold, the dart flew straight, staying solid and in one piece. Roderich, startled at such quick success, sidestepped at the last moment, and the dart whizzed right past his ear, so close he could feel the rush of wind as it flew by.

"Your aim's better than I thought," Roderich blinked, "I thought you didn't use projectile weaponry."

"I normally don't," Gilbert grinned, stretching his arms presumptuously, "But you should never underestimate this awesomeness right here. And just because I stick to my own soul-made swords doesn't mean I haven't used handmade ones." In fact, during his "boot camp" days with Illedris, she made absolutely sure Gilbert was well-rounded when it came to combat training. He knew how to use his soul skill blades, but also how to do a bit of knife throwing and how to shoot an arrow straight for the most part, though his accuracy was never nearly as good as Natalya's.

Roderich sighed at his innate superciliousness, but then said, "I suppose I should be a decent person and apologize for trying to make you stop the lessons with Elizaveta. It's not my place to keep her from getting better at demon hunting. And...although it pains me to say it, thank you for saving two of our classmates from that demon. Especially for seeing to it that Lovino returned safely."

"Wow, you class reps really take your job seriously," the albino remarked thoughtfully.

He nodded, "Of course. All the reps are like that. In fact, I was with Kim this morning at the headmaster's office. She can be scary when she's angry. She tried to get an audience with the Council somehow and argue Antonio's case like a trial. Arthur even offered to act as a lawyer. But the headmaster wouldn't let them. It's not good to be on the Council's bad side, and their word is final. I think they knew that deep down, but they didn't want Antonio to be treated so unfairly."

"Yeah, it's a shit verdict. You'll make sure Antonio won't have any problems in Class B, right?" Gilbert inquired seriously.

"I'll see to it that he gets along just fine," Roderich nodded again, "I'm his rep now, after all."

"Okay, I'll admit it," Gilbert cracked a smile, "You aren't as bad as I thought you were. I mean, you're still pretty uptight and all, but not too awfully boring."

"And I guess you aren't too unbearably obnoxious yourself," Roderich repudiated.

"But I'm still way more awesome," Gilbert finished, satisfied with his conclusion. Roderich exhaled in exasperation, knowing that some people never change.

* * *

After that, Gilbert sought out Elizaveta, finding her in Alice's cafe, and then the two went out to the forest for another training session of their own. Elizaveta was improving remarkably, and Gilbert was thinking that soon she might even be ready to test up into Class A, which would be awesome because then maybe he could be her partner for her first Class A assignment. Lately, they had been working on her stealth abilities, trying to maximize the efficacy of her soul skill. The idea was that if she could conceal herself well enough, and suppress her soul completely, incognito missions would be no problem, and the instructors would be begging her to move up. She was indeed a fast learner, much like Gilbert was, and he was surprised she hadn't been bumped up another Class sooner, but apparently these one-on-one lessons were just what she needed to enhance her combat skills.

And the more time he spent with her, the more confused his feelings became. He was beginning to realize that he definitely thought of her as more than just a friend, and really just thought of her more in general. Liking a girl this much was astounding to him; normally, he would just flirt or mess around with a girl, but never come to regard her with such emotion. Often, he found himself giving an unusual amount of consideration to her gestures toward him, trying to decipher what her feelings for him unsuccessfully. She was hard to read for a girl. She wasn't like the other girls he's come across, but maybe that's what intrigued him. Whatever the case, he tried to not think about it, though that never worked out for very long.

Later that afternoon, Gilbert hung out with Francis and Antonio again for a while, before meeting Ludwig, Feliciano, and Kiku at the cafe. Their previous outing at the cafe had been abruptly interrupted, but thankfully, Feliciano didn't get any spontaneous demon wounds this time. Now that Ludwig actually knew about the demon hunters' existence, their conversation was smoother, as they could say whatever they wanted without having to worry about slipping their secret. Ludwig seemed to have a lot of questions concerning the mystical world, which was only natural, but Kiku was good at explaining things. Not too much seemed to change about his younger brother's demeanor, and Gilbert admitted to himself that Ludwig knowing the Academy's secret wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

By the time it was well after nightfall, Gilbert was lying on his bed, unable to fall asleep. He wasn't frustrated or anything, since he often stayed awake long past the time Ludwig started dozing off, and stared off into the dark, thinking, as Gilbird rested gently on his head. However, without warning, the yellow chick suddenly jumped awake, as if startled by an unseen force. Gilbert was about to ask his little friend what was wrong, when suddenly a dreadful sensation came over him.

And the Mark on his back began to burn a little. Gilbert bit his lip, somewhat alarmed to be experiencing that familiar sting once more. Why now?! It had over a month since he had last seen his she demon master, and he realized then that the whole time he had been trying to forget about her. He should have known better. There was no escaping it; his soul belonged to her now.

For a moment, he looked over at his brother, who was in peaceful slumber, and he remembered exactly why he had made the soul deal in the first place. With that in mind, he forced himself out of bed, though unable to shake the uneasy apprehension off of himself. Gilbird shuddered nervously, but remained on his cranium. Silently, he snuck out of the dorms and headed to the campus boundaries unnoticed. After summoning the grappling hook on rope and then scaling the wall, he landed easily on the other side without any problems. Gilbird hid in his jacket pocket as Gilbert jogged at a mild pace through the dark woods, though he wanted to do nothing more than turn around and head back to the Academy. He had no other choice. He hadn't been given a true choice for seven years.

Finally, a little over three miles from the campus boundaries, the stinging on his back faded, indicating he was almost to his unknown destination. He slowed his pace to a cautious walk, until he saw that smoky figure glide out from behind a tree to his left.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Gilbert?" Illedris chuckled, seeming to be in particularly good mood tonight, which only added to Gilbert's anxieties. Her lips were a rosy, blood red as usual, and her hair continued to billow around her as she talked, as if her head was underwater.

"I guess it has," Gilbert replied, trying to act like nothing much had happened since the last time they saw each other, as if he hadn't noticed so much time had passed.

"I trust that everything is going smoothly in the Academy? Your cover is safe and secure?"

"Of course, did you expect any less?" Gilbert waved off indifferently. Now that so much had changed in the last four weeks, his words tasted sour in his mouth, and he struggled to swallow his guilt. Just the fact that he was talking to a she demon was enough to make his chest tighten as he thought of his fellow classmates.

Illedris grinned evilly, "Perfect. I know I haven't been checking up lately, but I figured you could take care of yourself. I've been busy lately."

"Busy? Doing what? Does this have anything to do with demon alliances?" Gilbert inquired, trying to sound only curious, not suspicious.

"I'm surprised you know about that. Yes, I've been doing a lot of traveling around the region, recruiting some of the more powerful demons on my side. How did you find out?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Well, let's just say some of the other demons you've been trying to recruit aren't as good at keeping their mouths shut," Gilbert smirked knowingly, "Like Metus and Nidor for example."

"I see," Illedris answered thoughtfully, "Metus was never all that trustworthy in the first place. I'm glad he's been slain. Nidor accepted the alliance, but...you were the one who killed him, weren't you?"

"He wasn't the brightest demon I've ever come across," Gilbert shrugged. "He smelled pretty bad, though."

"I should be surprised that you were able to beat another major demon, but then again, I am the one who trained you so well," Illedris chortled to herself, "Perhaps it's good that you killed Nidor. I was planning on using his toxic vapor, but maybe he was too much of a liability, especially if you say he was talking too much."

"Are you the only demon that uses the Ouroboros Mark?" Gilbert asked suddenly, unable to help himself.

Illedris blinked, "It's my preferred symbol, but no, it does not solely belong to me. I know of others who also use it. Why?"

"I saw a cursed soul, and the Mark that bound him to the curse was the Ouroboros. I was wondering if that was your doing," Gilbert said casually, careful not to mention any names or give away too much about Yao's condition.

"No, I haven't cursed a soul in decades," Illedris shook her head.

"Oh." Gilbert recalled Yao saying that the demon who cursed him was Nihilum, but there was no harm in asking. Then he remembered the _paifang_. "And I also saw the symbol on the Empyrean Temple, written in blood by another demon."

Now Illedris scowled, as if remembering something unpleasant. "Ah yes. That would be Ater Ignis, who was part of our alliance. He was supposed to possess a demon hunter's soul so that we could access his memories, but that fool got himself slain. His soul possession was supposed to be absolute, the imbecile. If you were at the Empyrean Temple...you had something to do with that, didn't you?"

"Er..." Gilbert scratched his head, and looked away quickly, "You never told me what was going on! I was just keeping my cover, that's all. If I had let the demon survive, he'd have eaten my soul." That was partly true. But Gilbert really didn't regret the fact that Ater Ignis was gone, and was much more concerned with Antonio's soul than keeping his cover during that assignment.

"Perhaps I trained you too well," Illedris sighed.

"So why bother with alliances anyway? Only two months ago you had me killing every demon that strayed into your territory out of spite," Gilbert tilted his head to the side slightly.

"Let's just say I've had a change of strategy," she responded vaguely, grinning to herself. Then her expression grew hard again, "Anyway, now that you've had more time around the Academy, I'd like to know more about how everything works there."

When the Ouroboros Mark above his shoulder blade heated up, Gilbert knew that this was another command from his master. He was obligated to tell her everything she wanted to know, even if it hurt him inside to say it. He began by briefly explaining the Class system of the demon hunting program, and from there, she asked question after question, with Gilbert supplying each with an answer. After informing her about their combat training sessions, she asked about the defenses that surrounded the school itself, so he told her about the special detection system placed on the school's walls. "If a demon so much as brushes against the boundary wall, the headmaster will know about it," Gilbert said matter-of-factly.

"Hmm...so what about the staff? Who are your instructors, and who's the headmaster?"

"Karpusi teaches Class A theoretics and fundamentals while Adnan teaches physical training. Our headmaster is Mr. Vargas."

"Vargas?" Illedris echoed, shocked. "You don't mean Romulus Vargas?"

"Yeah, I do, actually. Why?" he frowned, confused.

Illedris cursed, then tapped her finger to his chin in troubled thought. "Romulus Vargas. He's a Purifying Light demon hunter. One of the most formidable hunters in the region. I didn't realize he'd...work at the Academy...Gilbert, how well do you know your headmaster?"

Gilbert resisted the urge to bite his lip again, not liking where this was going at all. "What do you mean?"

"Let me rephrase that. Do you know if he has any relations? A wife? Children, perhaps?" She was regarding Gilbert intently now, and he could not afford to show any disloyalty at this point.

He hesitated for a fraction of a second, but the Ouroboros grew even hotter on his back. Illedris obviously felt this was a matter of upmost importance. "He has two grandsons."

Her lips curled into a wicked smile, as if hearing great news. "Are they also demon hunters at the Academy? What are their names?"

As much as he wanted to keep quiet, it was like his mouth spoke for him, "Lovino and Feliciano. Class B and C." His stomach became a bit queasy, but he tried his best to ignore it.

"Doable," Illedris muttered to herself. Then she considered Gilbert carefully again, narrowing her eyes. "And Gilbert, dear boy, you aren't becoming attached to the Academy, are you?"

"What? No," Gilbert lied, pretending to be slightly offended by her suggestion.

"Good, because it would be unsuitable of you to grow to care for the other demon hunters," she said steadily, flashing her pointed teeth as she spoke. "Don't let any emotions of yours interfere with our deal. I don't have to remind you about what will happen if you break it, right?"

"How could I forget," he answered evenly. Gilbird shivered involuntarily in his pocket.

"I wouldn't have a problem eating the soul of your brother dearest," Illedris speculated, practically sucker-punching Gilbert with the thought. Suddenly he thought back to the illusion Metus had showed him, his greatest fear. "After all these years, it's still as deliciously appealing as it was back then, when we first met," she added, licking her lips tauntingly.

"All right, I get it," Gilbert stopped her before she could go on even more with her mind games, and changed the subject quickly. "By the way, most major demons have Latin names that relate to their power. But your name doesn't sound Latin." Even though he only brought it up to get her mind off of his brother's soul, he was genuinely curious to learn about the meaning behind her name.

"Ah yes," she smirked, "You're correct that most major demons are given Latin names that describe their attributes, but you see, I wasn't given a name by demon hunters in the Latin language. I gave myself the name Illedris, a word derived from a demonic language of the Underworld. It doesn't directly translate into a word of your language, but it would mean something like insidious or clandestine."

"Oh," was all Gilbert could say. Those words pretty much summed up her deceptive ways, there was no arguing that.

"I suppose that's all for tonight," Illedris went on, "In fact, that'll be all I need from you inside the Academy, I think. You've been a good spy, my dear boy. Now that you've given me all the necessary information, there's a lot of things on my agenda for my future plans. By that, I mean that I won't be checking up on you, not until the time is right. You'll be on your own for a little while, so watch yourself. Keep your cover and wait for the Ouroboros Mark to signal my presence again."

"Where are you going? How long will that be from now?"

"I have important errands that need to be attended to. Alliances are tricky things, you know. But nothing I can't handle," Illedris smiled to herself, satisfaction in her black pupils. "I'm not exactly sure when I'll be back, so always be ready for my return. And when I do return...it's going to be one _hell_ of a time. Whatever you do, don't screw this up. You know what'll happen to poor Ludwig if you do."

Gilbert nodded, but he absolutely hated it when Illedris spoke his brother's name. She normally just referred to the blonde as Gilbert's little brother, but when she said his name, it meant she was dead serious.

"Good," Illedris said curtly, and her form began to fade back into the dark smoke, "Until then, my servant, when all hell breaks loose." And with that, his master had vanished completely.

Once he was sure she was gone, Gilbert clenched his jaw and suddenly threw his fist into the nearest tree, not caring that the bark cut his knuckles a little. Gilbird fluttered up in alarm, chirping in a high note of surprise. But the albino barely noticed. His head was pounding, engulfed by the guilt that bottled up inside of him. And he was angry, overwhelmingly angry of out nowhere. But he also knew there was no one to blame for his disdain but himself. None of this would have happened if he had only listened to his little brother seven years ago, and had just turned around and gone home instead of into that stupid cave. Now he had no choice but to betray his friends.

"I wish I could just die," Gilbert muttered, his thoughts hazy and chaotic. Gilbird, hearing this, chirped in protest and pecked the albino on the top of his head. "Ow! I know it sounds stupid but...I can't do this anymore, Gilbird!" His heart began to ache as he recalled all the things he had just told his she demon master.

Gilbird chirped angrily and hovered in front of Gilbert's face stubbornly. And Gilbert realized there were reasons he couldn't die just yet. For one thing, it was impossible for Gilbert to kill himself by his own hand, because that would break the soul deal, but that reason didn't count. If he died, nothing would stop Illedris from taking Ludwig's soul. And he still had to help Elizaveta move up to Class A, and help Mei find Tao's soul, and help Alfred unlock the seal on his soul, and help Yao break his curse. "You're right, Gilbird," Gilbert gave a small smile to the yellow chick, who then landed on his shoulder and brushed his fluffy feathers against his cheek. "I'm too awesome to die just yet! I've got too many things to do first!"

Now that his spirits were at least somewhat uplifted, he made his way back to the Academy. But even then, he knew that the jarring reality would always remain the same: while he could try his hardest to save his friends, he could never save himself.

* * *

From the Author: I'm wondering how many of you can see where this is going... I am soo looking forward to presenting the next chapter to you guys, I can barely wait! Anyways, thanks so much for reading, following, favoriting and especially reviewing! Your reviews have all been lovely and absolutely made my day~ You guys are simply the best~ I couldn't ask for a better audience! Thanks and until next chapter!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia nor do I own "Red Light District" sung by Porcelain and the Tramps.

* * *

The week went by much faster than Gilbert would have expected. Ludwig seemed to be settling in to his new routine just fine, and soon enough, he was passing his new soul-fundamentals class with better grades on his most recent quizzes than Gilbert ever got after seven years of knowing about demon hunting. Of course, mundane mortals never had any combat training classes, but Gilbert noticed subtle changes in Ludwig's habits, even though the blonde tried to hide them from his older brother. Ludwig had always been excellent in gym, probably the most fit mundane in the whole school, but now Gilbert could tell he was pushing his body even harder, while trying to force Feliciano to keep up at the same time, but the Italian hardly ever kept pace with him. The blonde was also lifting more weights than usual and more often went to the punching bag. Saturday morning, before heading out of their dorm to find Elizaveta for a training lesson, Gilbert asked Ludwig, "Hey, Luddy, you're not thinking about fighting, are you?"

Ludwig hesitated for a moment, "Well, I should at least be prepared to, especially now that I know demons exist. I've learned a lot about them from Class D."

"You won't ever have to," Gilbert maintained firmly, "Your awesome big brother will make sure of that!"

"Even you know you can't try to protect me forever," Ludwig replied indifferently. But Gilbert wanted to beg to differ. He'd been protecting the blonde this whole time, and with the soul deal he could for as long as he lived. Illedris couldn't touch him, and she wouldn't want Ludwig to die or else she wouldn't have as much leverage over Gilbert. "So when did you find out you were a demon hunter, exactly?"

"Oh, um..." Gilbert trailed off uncertainly, making up a cover story. It wasn't like he was going to tell Ludwig that a demon what the one who told him. "Well, when I was nine, actually. Remember how I used to go out into that forest a lot by myself? Even though our foster parents told us not to? I know now that I probably should have listened to them...I ran into a demon one night and I guess my soul skill instincts saved me and I made my first weapon, a knife." The best lies always contain a bit of the truth, Illedris had once told him.

"Oh, that must have been frightening. Meeting a demon for the first time," Ludwig frowned, realizing how dangerous it had been back at the village without other demon hunters around.

"That's an understatement," Gilbert muttered, remembering how petrified he had been when he first Illedris, especially when she almost took Ludwig's soul.

"Our teacher said that most demon hunters inherit their special powers," Ludwig said speculatively.

"Y-yeah, but you know, mutations can happen," Gilbert tried to shrug it off smoothly.

"You don't have to hide the truth anymore, Gil," Ludwig sighed, "I talked to Karpusi again, and he told me that our father was a demon hunter, too. And that our parents were killed by a demon."

"Luddy..." Gilbert started, but trailed off again, then removed a small box from under his bed, as Ludwig watched him curiously. Gilbert carefully removed the lid, and Gilbird flew over to gently land on his shoulder to look inside the box himself. It was the same box that held the small medallion that the headmaster had given him after he had killed Metus. But Gilbert also stored the old class photo of his father when he was only about their age, a student himself. The albino gave the photo to his brother. "That's him, there in the middle. Class A. Best of the best back then."

Ludwig just stared at the picture in his hands, barely able to believe it. "Father..." Finally, he was able to tear his gaze away, and glanced back up at his older brother and his eyes found the shiny emblem that rested in the box. "That medallion. Where did you get it?"

"Oh, this thing? Mr. Vargas gave it to me for slaying Metus." He handed the box to Ludwig, who eyed it with a certain awe. "I know!" Gilbert grinned, "Why don't you hold onto that for me? For safe keepings, because knowing me, I'll lose track of it in a matter of time."

"You probably would," Ludwig replied knowingly, and carefully put the lid back on the box.

"Anyway, I'm got to meet Lizzie right now, so see ya later, Luddy!" Gilbert said as he went out into the hallway, realizing that he was already late. It was always in his best interest to make sure Elizaveta wasn't too irritated at him.

* * *

"Hey Gil," Francis started as he, Gilbert, and Antonio walked the cobblestone paths of the campus. "What do you say we go out to the city tonight, _mon ami_?"

"We can just leave? Without an assignment?"

Antonio nodded happily, "Once you've been attending the school for a month and maintain a fairly good record, you're allowed to go to the nearest city by subway once in a while. But we have to be back by curfew of course."

"Then let's go," Gilbert grinned excitedly. He could use some change of scenery in his down time.

The three took the subway, which also carried a few other students, mundane and demon hunter, to the first stop, a vibrant, bustling city. It really was a tremendous change from the places Gilbert was normally accustomed to. Much bigger and crowded than any of his foster homes, and much noisier as well. It was pretty awesome. When the trio hopped off, Francis flagged down a taxi, and they piled in. "Take us to Seventh Street," Francis requested, and Antonio's face lit up immediately.

"What's on Seventh Street?" Gilbert inquired curiously.

"Only the craziest nightclub around, the Serpent's Womb!" Antonio exclaimed cheerfully.

"That name doesn't make any sense," Gilbert blinked, wondering if snakes had wombs, but then smiled back, "But who cares! I haven't gone clubbing in forever!"

"So you've done this kind of thing before?" Francis simpered mischievously, already picturing how this night would turn out.

Gilbert nodded. "I snuck in once or twice last year." It wasn't easy, but he managed to get inside to the dance floor eventually.

"Well, you've never partied on the supernatural scale before," Francis chuckled. "This isn't just some random mundane nightclub. There are mundane mortals there, but when the sun goes down, you can't tell who is or isn't an ordinary human. You don't even need a fake ID. The cops wouldn't dare get mixed up with the rave over there. As long as you got cash, you're in."

"You can order whatever you want, and they'll give it to you," Antonio added animatedly, "But don't let anyone else touch your drink. It's a basic lesson, but it's even more important there. You might accidently take a sip of demon drugs."

"Demon drugs?" Gilbert, to be honest, had never even touched regular intoxicating drugs, but these sounded even more fatal.

"Yeah. They can do all kinds of weird stuff to your brain, but as long as you don't consume any of that stuff, this is going to be highlight of your week," Francis announced zealously.

Finally, a few moments later, the taxi pulled up on Seventh Street, and three stepped out after Antonio paid the driver, who drove away as soon as they were out. The street itself seemed nothing out of the ordinary, a few people walking the sidewalks here and there under the darkening twilight sky, and across the street there was the entrance to black building with no windows whatsoever, with a big, luminescent neon sign that read The Serpent's Womb. It was definitely the nightclub, but Gilbert thought it was strange that he could hear no music, not the slightest sound from within, even as they approach the thick, shut double door entrance.

But when the three stepped inside, everything changed. Strobe lights flashed around the otherwise-dark, large room, the multicolored laser beams and semi-smoky air creating an electrifying, enigmatic atmosphere. Heart-pounding, blaring, stimulating music resonated off the walls from the vociferous speakers. The DJ was near the other end of the room, mixing the rhythmic, chest-thumping beats that rocked the whole building. There was crowd of people cutting loose on the dance floor, dancing their troubles away, not concerned with anything but the thrill of the song, of the night. That was the enticing thing about nightclubs, the stresses of reality seemed to blur out beyond the doors, unable to touch the exhilarated feel of the rave.

"Let the fun begin," Francis grinned at his friends before they entered the mass of people that seemed to engulf them.

Gilbert wasn't surprised that the three had gotten separated in the crowd almost immediately. Intense raves were usually chaotic, highly spontaneous, and intoxicatingly whimsical, but this, this was ten times crazier. The supernatural sure knew how to have one hell of a time. The floor was packed, bodies pressing into each other with every movement, a bit hot and sweaty, but no one cared; nothing mattered but the resounding beats of the remix.

Many of those around him were wild and scandalous, dirty dancing, girls wearing revealing dresses, while guys made very suggestive, and frankly inappropriate gestures towards them. Gilbert danced with a couple of skanky girls himself, but he could say fairly enough that he did not grope them, though he couldn't say the same for sure for Francis, wherever he was in the crowd.

But when Gilbert decided to push deeper into the mass of people, someone grabbed his attention out of the corner of his eye. She looked to be in her early twenties, with scarlet hair that cascaded past her shoulders in graceful ringlets and grayish green eyes. Her skimpy outfit consisted of a strapless red linen dress that snugly fit her curves. Battering her eyelashes, she stood between two guys, both of whom gazed at her body with hungry eyes. The flirtatious girl appeared to like the attention, acting like a total tease to both of them.

Then she caught Gilbert staring. Her own eyes looked at him peculiarly, as if contemplating him. Gilbert tilted his head questioningly, meeting her gaze. The girl flashed him a mischievous smirk, revealing sharpened canines.

Realization coming over him, the albino narrowed his eyes, and the girl left the two flustered guys and made her way to Gilbert with a catty finesse. "Dance with me," she simpered to him. He was reluctant at first, but decided to play along when she started swaying her own body to the beat.

"I've never danced with someone like you before," Gilbert said just loud enough so she could hear.

"Oh, but I've danced with your kind for as long as I can remember," she replied knowingly.

"And how long would that be, demon?" With that last word there was a warning edge to his voice.

"Way before you were born, hunter," she leered, smoothly sliding one hand down Gilbert's arm, drawing closer to him.

The suddenly eerie song that was playing seemed to wrap around them,

_"Girls and boys in the red light district  
You can watch her spin around a pole  
just like a beauty queen.  
Boys and girls in the red light district  
Take it to my private room  
I can make you dirty boys_."

The girl giggled ominously, "My kind of song. Gives me an idea, actually." As she spoke, she made two of her fingers walk up Gilbert's chest with each word, "There's a motel down the street for a reason. Why don't we settle our business there, where it's more private? What do you say, hunter? One on one?"

Gilbert regarded her carefully, weighing his options. He didn't know where Francis or Antonio were, but then again, he was pretty sure he could handle one demon by himself. And he couldn't fight her here, in such a public, crowded place. "All right," he nodded, halfsmiling coyly. "I'll take you up on that." Giggling, she looped one arm around his and happily led him out of the club. As soon as they exited the doors, the music was gone in an instant, but she continued leading him down the block under the starry sky, until they came to a ramshackle motel at the corner.

He didn't have much time to take everything in, since she didn't bother checking in at the lobby, and went straight to the second floor of the three story building. "I'm a regular, so I already have a room," she winked naughtily. Apparently she wasn't lying, because they easily entered the last door in the hall, passing by rooms where uncivil noises could be heard from inside. It wasn't hard to guess what was going on behind the closed doors of this motel. Seeing no other choice really, Gilbert followed her inside her room, staying keenly and warily astute. And when she shut the door behind her, he slyly moved to the other side of the room, taking a good look around himself as he did so, analyzing his surroundings like he would before any battle. It was like any other dilapidated, cheap motel room, with a small table in the corner, an old lamp on the nightstand by the twin-sized bed, a couple of chairs pushed up against the musty walls, and dusty curtains covering the window.

Muscles tensing, he quickly turned to face the she demon, about to summon his weapon into his palm, only to find she was beginning to unzip the back of her dress. Blushing furiously, Gilbert covered his eyes with his hands, stammering, "W-what the hell are you doing? Keep your dress on!"

"Aw, you don't want to have a little fun before we get down to business?" the demon asked mockingly.

"No! I didn't come here to screw around with a demon," Gilbert refuted defensively, eyes still covered. "You're a succubus, right? A she demon who seduces guys and then takes their souls! Well, won't work on me; demons aren't my type."

"Fine, we can skip the seducing part," she laughed, zipping her dress back up, and Gilbert tentatively opened his eyes again. "I can't believe you closed your eyes! I could have easily eaten your soul when you weren't looking. How naive of you. Demons aren't you type, you say? Liar. If that's the case, then why'd you make a soul deal?"

Gilbert inhaled sharply, blinking in surprise. "How did you know...?"

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes, "Soul deals are rare, that's true, but as I demon, I know one when I see one. Say...why don't we talk instead of the whole fight-to-the-death thing?" She plopped down on the bed, her eyes sliding over him inquisitively.

"Why should I talk to you?" he frowned skeptically.

"Because I know a thing or two about soul deals. Your soul is very...interesting. I've never seen anything like it, and that's besides the soul-deal part too. Why'd you sell your soul?" Gilbert didn't answer, just regarded her cynically. She sighed, "Stingy on the information, aren't you? Fine, how about I'll tell you about myself first, then you have to tell me about yourself?" Without waiting for his answer, she continued, "I'm only a minor demon, but I gave myself the name Vendetta when I became a demon."

"Became a demon?" he echoed, puzzled.

"Yep. Believe it or not, I was a human once, mundane. I was a happy-go-lucky kind of girl back then, but a lot of things happened that changed me forever. The man I loved was killed by a thug, trying to take his cash, and got away with it, too. I was a wreck after that, overwhelmed with anger and sorrow and grief. The only thing that kept me going was my dear sister, who took care of me after he died. However, she too fell victim to the violence and corruption of the city slums. Her killer not only took her life, but also abused her body brutally before he slit her throat. After that...the only thing that was left for me was revenge. As a twenty-two year old girl, I couldn't deliver the retribution that the lowlife scum of the crime-ridden streets deserved. But that burning hatred stayed with me every moment from then on, and my soul began to degrade into what you hunters call a Black soul. I was finally able to find the man who killed my sister, and tricked him into coming to a motel very much like this one. I killed him, and eventually became a demon, a succubus born of revenge. Now I prey on the souls of those dirty men who only see women as sexual objects. Every bite of their greedy souls feeds my desire for revenge against the worthless thugs like the ones who killed my beloved and my sister."

"Don't say that like it justifies becoming a demon, because it doesn't. There are other ways to get closure without murder," Gilbert shook his head.

"Oh, I'm not trying to justify anything. There's no need to! I absolutely love being a demon," she gushed ardently, "I love being immortal, forever young and beautiful. The rules and morals don't matter anymore. I don't have to take anyone else's crap or fear anything. This is pure freedom! But enough about me. I want to know more about you! Who owns your soul now?"

Gilbert didn't say a word, but just pursed his lips uneasily instead. He couldn't tell her even if he wanted to; it was his master's order not the reveal any connections to her.

Vendetta waited a moment, then sighed, "So you can't tell me, huh? Don't you worry, I know how to find loopholes in soul deals. Tell me, why'd you sell it? Did your master offer you power, immortality, or treasure for the price of your soul?"

"None of the above," he answered finally. He wondered how much he could slip without directly disobeying his orders. Technically, he could reveal things that didn't directly connect him to Illedris. "I exchanged my soul for my little brother's. That was our bargain."

"Ah, that makes much more sense," Vendetta nodded, fascinated, "Since I couldn't sense much greed or lust in your soul. You must hate it, being tied to a demon against your will."

Gilbert scowled involuntarily, "It's no picnic, that's for sure. Of course I hate it."

Vendetta's red lips curled into a knowing grin slowly, "Well, what if I could tell you how to free yourself from the deal without breaking its terms?"

At this, the albino couldn't help but perk up, surprised. "How?"

"It's simple, really. The actual binding that ties you to your master is on your soul, right? It's that black impurity that forces you to follow your master's every whim. So the only solution is to leave your soul behind. Just rid yourself of the bindings by ditching your soul, destroy it."

"Destroy my soul?! That'd turn me into a demon," Gilbert objected, a little horrified at the notion. "Once I left my soul, I'd need to feed on other souls to sustain my existence in the mortal world!"

"So? I left my soul behind, and now I live without constraints! I do whatever I want, whenever I want. Being a demon is so much fun! Being a demon makes me so much stronger than any human could be," she claimed eagerly, her eyes glinting with presumptuous haughtiness. "It's not hard to become one, actually. You could join me, and I could help you free yourself!"

"No!" Gilbert burst out, wanting her to stop trying to tempt him with that sense of reckless free will and desire. "I'd never give up on my soul like that! Once I become a demon, there's no going back, and I wouldn't be able to feel emotions like love!" That thought alone sent chills down his back. As a demon, Gilbert could never care for his brother, or for his friends, and would have to resort to preying on mortal souls and murder to survive.

"You're so naive," she growled, glaring at him for rejecting her offer, flashing her sharpened pearly whites, "Emotions like that are useless. I learned a long time ago that love isn't worth it. It only exists to bring humans higher so that they can fall harder. And you, hunter, will fall very, very hard at this rate. Maybe I should just put you out of your misery before that can happen."

Then, without warning, she lunged at Gilbert, who only then realized that he had made the biggest mistake ever by dropping his guard. She slammed into him with more force that he thought imaginable for someone with such a lithe frame. And apparently she wasn't lying when she talked about the benefits of being a demon, because she was impossibly strong. Gilbert hit the ground hard on his back, but before he could react, she was on top of him, pinning his arms down with her own hands. Her canines elongated into razor sharp fangs, and her eyes stared into his ravenously, a cruel simper on her lips. "It's hard for a succubus to come across a soul that looks this good. I'm sure I'll savor its flavor!"

On that note, she bit into his neck, her teeth puncturing his exposed skin, causing him to cringe in sudden pain. But it wasn't just physical pain he felt; she had bitten directly into his soul, and he could feel her slowly sucking his entire being away in an excruciating torture. It was a blind pain, and it was the only feeling he could register, but he couldn't even find it in himself to scream or cry or fight back. The agony was so great and consuming, it was impossible to think, much less resist the demon.

Abruptly, the pain stopped, vanishing in an instant, and a tiny electric shock pulsated through Gilbert's soul, much like the one he had felt when he repulsed Kim's soul skill on his first test, and Vendetta retracted her fangs and pulled away, recoiling so fast, she jumped backward and landed on her bottom.

"Her?! You're serving _her_?" she sputtered, eyes wide with shock. "You're...You're Illedris's demon hunter!"

"W-what? How did you find out?" he demanded, scrambling to his feet, putting his hand to his neck to cover his bit marks, which bled a little.

"As soon as I reached the part of your soul containing the binding to the soul deal, I knew it was her handiwork. You've got an Ouroboros, don't you? She's one of the major demons who uses that Mark, that conniving, two-faced bitch!" Vendetta huffed, outraged.

"You're one to talk! You attacked me out of nowhere and tried to kill me and take my soul!" Gilbert snapped, angry and shaken.

"Oh please, I wasn't going to eat all of your soul," she rolled her eyes, as if it were obvious, "I just wanted a little taste. And to learn who you sold your soul to. But...wow, that is just awful, being tied to Illedris. I'm not sure if there's a demon I hate more than I hate her. She acts as if she's the queen of demons, trying to trick all of the other major demons into forming those damn alliances with her, and then leaving us lower demons to feed off the flavorless, weak souls. How can you work for her?! I'd much rather die than be her servant."

"I have no other choice," Gilbert took a deep breath, now that he had calmed down a little, though he remained alert now, "I can't forsake my brother's soul. He's all I have left! You had a sister once, right? Maybe you can't remember what love felt like, but I would do anything for my brother. Even if I chose to become a demon, Illedris could take his soul away. And I won't let that happen."

Vendetta was silent for a moment, a peculiar look on her face. Then she laughed softly, a nostalgic, gentle laugh that caught Gilbert off guard. "I don't remember what love felt like, not anymore. But I remember being happy because of it. It's funny...you remind me of the man I once loved, and of my dear sister too." She moved over to the wooden table, where a small notepad and a cheap pen lay, and scribbled down something before tearing the page off the notepad and handing it to Gilbert, who accepted it tentatively. Written on it was an address from a different city, about three subway stops from here, and under that were three names: Maria, Carlos, and Neeraja.

"What is this?"

"That's where you can find a trio of information brokers, probably the best in the region. I have close ties to them, so if you call them by their real names, those names there, and say Vendetta sent you, I think they'll be more friendly to you."

"Why are you giving this to me?" Gilbert frowned, perplexed.

"When you ever get into a tight fix, which may happen sooner than you think, and you can always go there for some answers. Their information unbelievably reliable," she answered coolly. Then she straightened up, dusting off her dress and running her hand through her long, curly hair. "I think it's time for me to head out, or else I might not get a real meal tonight. I'm glad we had the chance to talk." Just before she walked out of the room, she looked back at him and smiled, almost warmly, "I really do hope you find a way to free yourself. Good luck, demon hunter."

He stared at the empty doorway for a while after she had left, trying to decide if he should hate the demon or feel sorry for her. Then he glanced down at the paper in his hands, and ended up gazing at it long enough to memorize the address and the three names. Though he wasn't sure why he would ever need to see information brokers, since everything he needed to know about demon hunting came from the Academy's lessons, and he was given everything he needed to know about the demons he was supposed to kill when he received assignments. But the more he thought about it, it occurred to him that these weren't ordinary information brokers, especially if they had connections to a demon like Vendetta. They probably stored information that was way more...subversive. Was she suggesting they might have the answer to his soul deal problem?

Gilbert shook his head, realizing that he couldn't trust these people so easily, especially since Vendetta proved to be untrustworthy herself. He slipped the paper into his pocket and decided to go back to The Serpent's Womb to meet up with Francis and Antonio before they could notice his absence. And he thought that maybe it would be better if they didn't know about his little excursion with a succubus.

* * *

It was barely noon of the next day, and Gilbert was already wiping the sweat from his brow, panting slightly. Elizaveta stood a couple yards away, still in her fighting stance, breathing a little harder than the albino was. But this match wasn't over just yet. Gilbert surged forward quickly, trying to catch her off guard. She was ready for him, though, her first instincts to dodge his right punch, then duck under his left hook. Then she countered while Gilbert was following his momentum one way, throwing a uppercut punch aimed for just under his chin. Thinking fast, the albino evaded her blow by riding his momentum even further, rolling out of the way to the side. After bouncing back to his feet, he regained his center of balance in an instant and then thrust his foot into her gut. With no time to get out of the way, Elizaveta was forced to take the hit, but wisely chose to push herself back and ride with the direction of the kick, absorbing its force fluidly so the strike wouldn't hurt as much, as opposed to taking the hit rigidly and stiffly. She swiftly regained her balance and lunged at her opponent with a right jab, but Gilbert anticipated it, leaning just enough to avoid being hit, then pivoted on his front foot, whirling around and ramming his elbow into her shoulder. Elizaveta staggered backward a couple of steps, but quickly shifted and steadied her stance.

Gilbert was determined to not give her a chance to counterattack, and he pressed forward, with a left punch. But Elizaveta surprised him then, sidestepping at the last moment, then parrying his fist out of the way before grabbing his wrist. Her next move caught him completely off guard, as she yanked Gilbert's wrist down and then upward in an arch-like motion, flipping him over while he was still in motion. An instant later, he fell to the ground on his back with a thud, and Elizaveta sat on top of his midsection, grinning down at him triumphantly. "I win," she giggled.

He blinked up at her, taking in the fact that he had, in fact, just lost to her. Then he cracked a smile, "You're ready for Class A. We should schedule your test for tomorrow morning!"

"Really? Tomorrow? Wow, that seems...really soon," she said thoughtfully, still a little disbelieving. Gilbert could practically see the excitement sparkling in her eyes; it was what she had been training for all this time, what she had been waiting for even before she met Gilbert.

"Don't worry, you got this! Just fight like you did just now, and there's no way you won't make it! Now...could you get off me?" he asked, since she was still sitting on him.

"Not just yet," she teased, "This is the first time I knocked you down like this, and I want to savor the victory! But..." Her demeanor changed suddenly, giving him a warm smile, and she leaned down until her face was only inched from Gilbert's. His heart began to pound inside his rib cage, but he couldn't help it. He also cursed himself silently when he felt his cheeks grow warm as he blushed furiously. Elizaveta just giggled, and said, "Thanks Gil, I couldn't have gotten this far without you, so thanks for everything."

With that, she leaned down even further, pressing her lips against Gilbert's. He was startled at first, but then closed his eyes and kissed back, one hand reaching up to gently caress her cheek. Sure he had kissed other girls before, but Elizaveta...kissing her gave him a totally different feeling that he had never experienced before. A tingling, passionate sensation came over both of them, and even his soul felt lighter inside of him.

She only pulled back when she could no longer breathe, a genial expression lighting up her face. "After tomorrow, we'll be in the same Class!"

"You bet," Gilbert grinned, "Tomorrow, I'll be rooting for you every second of the match!" He couldn't remember a time when he was happier than that moment, and he couldn't wait for tomorrow. It was going to be the best day ever, he thought to himself cheerfully.

Little did he know he couldn't have been more wrong.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to rise, giving the sky a beautiful tinge of orange, yellow and pink. Normally, Heracles Karpusi would have enjoyed staring up at those colors just before class started, but he didn't have the opportunity to do that today. He stood at the edge of the Academy's campus, his arms folded across his chest, tapping his foot impatiently as he stared past the ironwork gate that was wide open for once this early in the morning. He resisted the urge to bite his lip. Where was Sadik? He shouldn't be taking this long...especially since they had to oversee Elizaveta's test in less than hour from now.

Finally the Turkish man emerged from the forest, sweating and breathing hard, but for the most part looked unharmed. Heracles was much more concerned with the now-occupied cage he carried at his side. "Took you long enough," the Greek man frowned. "I was beginning to worry."

"No you weren't," Sadik smirked, "If you saw my _pepromene_ then you'd know I was going to be okay."

"How many times do I have to tell you it doesn't work like that," Heracles rolled his eyes. "I can't choose what visions I want to see."

"Yeah, yeah, anyway, back to the matter at hand. It's a good thing your vision showed you this little guy, or else he would have gotten away," Sadik said, tapped the metal cage. The supple beast inside it scratched at the cage's bars, trying to break free. It resembled a small fox, only with black fur and beady red eyes. "So how come you didn't want me to kill it?"

"There was something off about this vision," Heracles frowned again, his tone becoming more serious. "This demon didn't wound up here by mistake..." He crouched down to stare at the demon at eye level, and the fox snarled at him viciously. "This is a special type of demon," he concluded. "So why did you come here? You should have known better than to come to a demon hunting Academy."

"Damn hunters, let me out!" The fox growled, barring its canines, the hairs on its back standing up.

"It talks?" Sadik blinked, almost dropping the cage in surprise.

"You're a scout, aren't you?" Heracles narrowed his eyes. "Who sent you here?"

"As if I'd tell you, stupid human!" it seethed irritably.

Now Sadik was growing angry, now that he knew this demon was spying on the school. "Look here, demon," he said through gritted teeth and a furious expression, "You better give us the information we want, otherwise we'll send you back to the Underworld. I wouldn't mind slaying you. Killing demons is what we do here. You're lucky I didn't gut you as soon as I saw you."

At this, the demon shrank back inside his cage, trembling, "N-no wait, you don't wanna kill me off so soon..."

"Then tell us who you're working for. What are you demons up to? I've noticed an increase in demon activity lately. Tell us what's going on!" Heracles demanded forcefully.

"I-I can't...she'll have me killed for ratting them out," the fox whimpered.

"Who's 'she'?" Sadik pressed, an intimidating look on his face. "Answer me!"

"No! I can't! The master is ten times scarier than any of you hunters. She'd have me tortured in the Underworld," the fox shuddered, shaking its head. "I ain't telling you a word."

"Then you're no use to us," Heracles straightened up, sighing. "Go ahead and kill him, Sadik."

"My pleasure," Sadik chuckled, leering at the demon, its ears flattening back in fear.

"W-wait! No, don't kill me! I...I know another secret. The...there's a traitor amongst your school! One of the master's servants!" the fox stammered, quaking.

"What?! You're just saying that to save your own skin. You're lying!" Heracles exclaimed, outraged at such an accusation.

"No! I swear it! One of your students is not who he claims to be," the fox went on, gaining sly confidence and guile. It began to smirk, its beady eyes glinting.

"That's impossible," Sadik growled, "If you're lying to us..."

"Fine, don't believe me. Take your chances. Meanwhile, you feed the double-crosser even more information about your school," the fox jeered.

"Who?" Heracles demanded. "Who is it?"

The fox simpered, "The hunter with white hair and red eyes. The one who makes weapons from his soul."

* * *

From the Author: I think I'll let you guys sit on that for now... ;)

Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews, favorities, and follows! I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so reviews are very much appreciated! They fuel my drive to write this fanfic~ Thanks again, and until next chapter!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Do not own Hetalia!

* * *

It was only sunrise and the Hunter's Gym was full of excitement. In less than an hour Elizaveta would have her test to see if she could make it to Class A, the best of the best, and all the Class A hunters were obliged to be there, but they weren't the only ones sitting in the bleachers. Almost all of the other demon hunting Classes were there, even the mundane mortals from Class D, which meant Ludwig was there on one of the middle rows, next to Kiku and Feliciano. Many of Elizaveta's classmates from Class B were there to cheer her on as well, and even Roderich wanted her to pass the test.

However, one of the reasons most of them were so eager to watch the match was because Elizaveta hadn't just been training in the Gym on her own; everyone knew Gilbert was giving her lessons, and they wanted to see what kind of moves and strategies he had been teaching her out in the seclusion of the woods. The techniques that Gilbert used weren't the conventional ones the Academy taught, since he had been trained as a demon hunter before coming to the school, so they all knew this wasn't going to be an ordinary match.

"This is going to be great!" Yong Soo grinned as he leaned back on the bleachers next to Kim and Yao.

"You think she's going to make it?" Arthur, who sat in front of him next to Alfred and Laura, asked.

Kim nodded optimistically, "I hear she's really improved thanks to Gilbert's extra help and motivation. I think she will."

"I definitely think she can," Laura agreed, "If she plays her cards right."

"I really hope she makes it," Mei speculated on the other side of Laura, "Or she'll be really down for the rest of the week."

"She wouldn't be too down," Alice said thoughtfully, "She'd just train even harder and try again. She's never been one to give up, and I'm sure that's why she'll pass today!"

"I can't wait for the match to start!" Alfred bubbled, practically radiating his cheery anticipation. As he spoke, Francis, Antonio and Lovino each took a seat on the other side of the American, tuning in to the conversation.

"There you guys are," Arthur said, "I was beginning to think you'd slept in."

"No way," Antonio chuckled, "We wouldn't want to miss this match!"

"So...how's Class B going for you, Antonio?" Kim asked tentatively, a slight frown on her face.

"Oh, it's just fine," the Spaniard replied smoothly, "Everyone's really nice, and I've got Lovi here to keep me company!"

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" Lovino muttered, but he seemed to be in a good mood overall.

"I wonder who her opponent will be..." Yao thought aloud, "I can't guess who they'll pick."

"Me neither," Francis shook his head, "Where is Adnan and Karpusi, anyway? If they don't show up soon they'll be late, and they're never late for these kinds of things."

"Yeah, they better get here soon," Yong Soo smirked, "Anyway, who wants to place their bets with me? My money's on-"

Kim cut him off staunchly. "No bets!"

Meanwhile, Gilbert and Elizaveta stood at the other side of the Gym, away from the bleachers so that no one could eavesdrop on their little pep talk. Elizaveta had her game face on, but there were outrageous butterflies fluttering in her stomach, and she struggled to keep calm. "Don't stress out now, Lizzie, you can beat whoever it is they pit against you," Gilbert claimed with a zealous grin, "Just pretend like you're fighting me. If you really want this, then nothing can stop you from winning, especially after you've been taught by an awesome teacher like me!"

"Right," Elizaveta nodded, ignoring the "awesome teacher" comment, and she took a deep breath, willing the anxious feelings away. "Any last tips?"

"Hmm..." Gilbert thought for a moment, then replied, "Well, I guess it helps to picture what's most important to you, the reason why you fight, during the battle, and for any battle for that matter. It makes failure not an option, so you'll never give up." He didn't admit it out loud, but when he needed it most, the image of his younger brother would manifest itself in his mind whilst he fought. Perhaps Elizaveta could use that kind of motivation as well. "And remember, if you find yourself being overwhelmed, just fall back into open space and regroup quickly. Don't panic. Other than that, well, I'm sure that after today, there's going to be another desk in the Class A room," he winked at her encouragingly. "Go show 'em what you're made of! I'll be-"

But he never got the chance to finish what he was saying. Without warning, strong hands grabbed Gilbert by the shoulders from behind, then swiftly slammed him against the gym floor, so that he lay on his chest. Then whoever it was restrained his wrists behind his back with one hand while the other hand pressed down on Gilbert's back to keep him from getting up. Alarmed, Gilbert turned his head as much as he could to see who the hell was attacking him. It was Mr. Adnan, with an irate expression that contorted his usually calm features, while Mr. Karpusi stood behind him, holding a metal cage with a black fox inside. Beside him stood the headmaster, eyes steely and unreadable.

"Mr. Adnan!" Elizaveta objected, "What's going on here?! Get off of him!" Meanwhile, students were getting down from the bleachers to see what all the commotion was about.

"Sir!" Kim protested when she came over, followed by the others.

"Is this him?" Mr. Karpusi asked, directed at the beast within the cage.

"Yes! Yes! That's him! That's the traitor!" the fox cackled, a harsh, cruel laughter.

"Traitor? What's this all about?" Roderich asked Mr. Karpusi, but he just ignored him and focused on Gilbert instead. Mr. Vargas had yet to speak, but just watched carefully. The Turkish man had just finished binding Gilbert's wrists together with rope, and he forced the albino into a sitting position before standing up again for interrogation.

"There's a reason I can't see your _pepromene_," Mr. Karpusi said bitterly to Gilbert, "Because yours is already locked away..."

"Is is true, Gilbert?!" Mr. Adnan demanded fiercely, "Did you sell your soul to a demon?!"

There was a collective gasp that rippled throughout the room. They looked at him with pure shock.

And this whole time, Gilbert himself felt like he was undergoing his own shell-shock. No, no, no! This couldn't be happening! His heart was painfully pounding in his chest, his stomach tightened nauseatingly, and he could feel his senses going numb, overcome with dread and dismay. It was over now.

"That-that can't be!" Elizaveta whispered, staring at Gilbert with wide eyes.

"Oh, it's true, all right," the fox jeered, "This whole time he was fooling all of you by working for a demon!"

"That thing is lying!" Alfred argued angrily, "It has to be! There's no way...!"

"Gilbert would never do that!" Antonio affirmed fervently.

"Yeah, he'd never work for a demon!" Francis defended his friend as well.

"Gilbert, answer the question. Did you seal your soul to a demon?" the headmaster asked, voice stoic yet severe.

But at first, Gilbert could not find his own voice within himself, nor could be bring himself to meet any of their eyes. What was he supposed to say? Illedris would want him to lie, deny everything and keep his cover. That's what he should do, granted he remain steadfast to his deal with her. But...he couldn't lie to them anymore! He knew that if he were to keep his secret any longer after this, it would destroy him inside. The guilt had been weighing on him for a while now, and he just couldn't betray them anymore. They deserved to know the truth about him.

However, Gilbert could not say anything about the soul deal outright. The Mark would never allow that. Although, he wondered for a fraction of a second if the soul deal was still intact, now that his cover was totally blown, in direct violation of Illedris's orders. But it must have been, since his soul was not on fire. Gilbert simply didn't know what to say, or how to face them, so he just didn't say anything at all.

"G-Gilbert?" Elizaveta sputtered, apprehension and anxiety building in her heart with every second that he did not reply.

Then Karpusi turned around to find Kiku standing near the front of the crowd behind him, sharing the daunted look that everyone else wore. "Kiku, what does his soul look like?" he asked suddenly.

"I, er," Kiku hesitated, flustered, but then murmured, "There...there is a black impurity on it."

"What?! You knew his soul was tainted this whole time and you never told anyone?!" Mr. Adnan reprimanded.

"Why didn't you tell us? Is there anything else you've been hiding from us, Kiku?" Mr. Karpusi admonished sternly. By this point, Kiku evidently became strained and distressed, and the albino didn't want him to be punished for something that entirely Gilbert's fault, not his. No one else should have to pay for his mistake.

"Kiku doesn't have anything to do with this," he interjected suddenly, finally looking up at them, "He didn't tell you because I lied to him."

"You lied to all of us, apparently," Mr. Karpusi narrowed his eyes accusingly, "So it's true then. You are working for a demon."

"Gilbert, how could you?!" Kim burst out, aghast.

"We-we trusted you!" Arthur exclaimed, shaken.

"You...tricked us from the start..." Yao muttered despondently, as if he was still registering the thought.

Every word was like another knife through his heart. The looks on everyone else's faces ranged from appalled to betrayed to disdain. But seeing how horrified Elizaveta was, staring back at him as if he were a complete stranger, or more like some sort of monster, hurt twice as much. He shifted his gaze quickly, unable to look at her in this unbearable shame. The last thing he ever wanted to do was to hurt her, or any of his classmates, but this whole time he had been deceiving all of them. He should have known this would happen. His soul belonged to a demon, how could he do anything but hurt those around him?

"Who are you working for?" Mr. Vargas demanded. "Which demon owns your soul now?"

This time, Gilbert set his lips straight. The Ouroboros Mark began to sting slightly. This was a question he could not answer under any circumstances. An order was an order, and even now he could not afford to break the deal.

"Tell us!" Mr. Adnan pressed urgently.

"I can't," Gilbert shook his head slowly, voice shaky and wretched. As much as he wanted to tell them the truth, the deal was final.

"He's not going to answer willingly," Mr. Karpusi frowned, "Whatever his arrangements are with the demon won't allow him to. Ivan, come here." A bit startled, the Russian student stepped forward questioningly. "I need you to make him give us the truth."

"You want me to use my soul skill on him?" Ivan inquired, slightly astonished. "Are you sure...?"

Mr. Karpusi nodded, and Gilbert's inhaled sharply when Ivan turned to face him. Before he could react, Ivan's violet irises began to glow faintly, and that ominous, suffocating force seemed to fill his entire being, surrounding his soul like a thick liquid. Gilbert clenched his jaw when he felt Ivan's soul skill beginning to drown out his will, but he couldn't give in. Not this time.

"Tell me which demon you sold your soul to," Ivan ordered austerely. Then that unseen force contracted relentlessly, squeezing the albino's soul, threatening to overpower Gilbert's determination not to answer. Physically, Gilbert broke out into a cold sweat while his breath hitched, and his head began to throb violently as he struggled against Ivan's soul kill. The Russian's eyes grew slightly brighter, but his tone grew colder, "_Tell me_." It was as though the power of his mere words wrenched opened Gilbert's mouth, despite using the last shreds of his will to resist.

But just as Gilbert was about to speak under Ivan's influence, just before he could utter his master's name, a sharp, searing pain erupted from the Ouroboros mark and ripped through Gilbert's entire soul like a wildfire. It was unlike anything Gilbert had ever experienced before; the closest he had ever come to feeling such torment was during Metus's illusion, only this time that torture increased tenfold. His wrists convulsed within the ropes behind his back. A cry escaped his lips instead, as he suffered what felt like acid coursing through his veins, a burst of pain so great it displaced his ability to form thoughts.

Many of the demon hunters were so frightened by his sudden agonized scream that they recoiled a few steps back instinctively. Alice put her covered her mouth in terror, while Mei buried her face in her hands, unable to watch him writhe in absolute agony. Laura looked away, her stomach queasy, while Roderich balled his fists in frustration, internally torn between his feelings of betrayal and pity.

"Just tell him already!" Kim shouted, almost to the point of hysteria. She couldn't stand to see him suffer any longer.

"S-stop this!" Feliciano cried, his eyes watery as he watched in anguish.

"Ivan, stop! His soul can't take much more!" Kiku exclaimed exigently, grabbing the Russian's shoulder and turning him around. Ivan blinked, facing Kiku in surprise. The glow in his eyes faded, and Gilbert' torment subsided, though he was still breathing hard and his chest ached considerably.

"Kiku!" Mr. Adnan threw a scolding frown his way for interrupting.

"I'm sorry, sir," Kiku repudiated, "But his soul couldn't hold out any longer. I could see it. Too much more and it would have destroyed his soul."

"Kiku's right," Karpusi sighed regrettably. "It seems that the nexus that the demon placed on his soul is absolute. We can't coerce answers out of him."

"What did the demon offer you for your soul, Gilbert?" Mr. Adnan asked, this time softer with a look so full of distressed abasement. "If you can't tell us who, then at least tell us why."

"I can't," Gilbert whispered hollowly, crestfallen. His gaze flickered to Ludwig for a split second. His younger brother hadn't uttered a single word, but the shattered expression on his face was just too much. If Ludwig knew that Gilbert had gave his soul in exchange for his, then he might try to take some of the responsibility for Gilbert's fatal mistake. No, that wasn't going to happen; Gilbert would shoulder this burden alone. And if that meant that Ludwig, and everyone else, would hate him, despise him, spurn him, then so be it. "I'm sorry...I can't."

"There's no use in continuing an interrogation this way," Mr. Vargas said, sounding drained. He eyed Gilbert forlornly, then turned to Mr. Adnan, "Use the second floor to the old storage building near the main office as a makeshift detention cell. There should be two empty rooms on the first doors to the right and left. Keep him and this thing," he gestured to the fox demon, who had been enjoying the show with a sly grin, but now that the drama had simmered down, it barred its teeth distastefully, "secured in separate rooms." Mr. Vargas gave Gilbert one more ephemeral, saddened glance. "Siegfried's son was the last person I'd expect this from," he murmured softly, "You disgrace your father's legacy." With that, the headmaster turned sharply on his heel and walked away, the demon hunters parting to make way for him.

Gilbert's whisper was almost inaudible. "I know."

* * *

"I can't believe this," Francis said dejectedly, his shoulders slumping as he sat in the desk. The rest of Class A lingered around the classroom disconsolately, their thoughts confused and upset. Class for all the demon hunters had been cancelled for the day, but Class A decided to hold a meeting in the room instead, to try to settle their tense emotions and sort out everything that just happened. Even some Class B students showed up, like Mei, Elizaveta, Roderich, Laura, Lovino, Antonio, and Matthew. Feliciano was there as well, sitting next to Ludwig, who was terribly crushed and unhinged.

"I never even once suspected..." Natalya muttered bitterly, leaning back in her seat. Kim stood off to the side by herself, arms folded across her chest, lost in troubled thought, while Yao and Kiku talked quietly amongst themselves. Ivan leaned against the back wall, appearing to be thinking abstractly as well. Antonio sat at a desk beside Lovino with his hands covering his face. Elizaveta sat next to Roderich, sniffling and trying to hold back tears as Roderich placed on hand on hers, but unable to find words to console her. For once, Alfred was eerily silent, his fists clenched and his jaw tightened, and not even Matthew could tell what he was thinking.

The atmosphere hanging about the room was evidently stressed, and they could practically feel the thicket of strained, mixed emotions they all shared.

And Arthur couldn't take it anymore. He burst out, "Why? If he was working for a demon, why come to a demon hunting school?!"

"Did...did he come here to kill us?" Laura quivered, voicing her worst fears. Mei's eyes widened at the sudden conclusion, Yong Soo's expression darkened, and Alice shifted uneasily.

"No, I don't believe that! He wouldn't do that," Alfred argued.

"And how would you know what he wouldn't do?" Ivan mused peculiarly.

"I agree with Alfred," Alice spoke up, "Didn't you see him back there? That wasn't the face of a monster."

"Alice, he was lying to us ever since he got here. He was probably faking it in the Gym, too," Kim shot back, shoulders trembling in a tempest of torn feelings, and angry tears threatened to spring into her eyes. She had been so naive, trusting Gilbert so easily.

Sensing the rising tension, Matthew piped up meekly, "We all need to just calm down..."

Kim could feel Matthew's soul skill subtly trying to mollify her anger, but somehow that fact only irritated her further, "Don't mess with our feelings right now, Matthew! This is just too serious. Gilbert's a traitor to all of us! He was just waiting for the right moment to stab us all in the back."

"No, that can't be!" Feliciano shook his head, "He saved some of us and killed demons with us!"

"He was just trying buy our trust so we'd lower our guard," Arthur refuted. That's when he caught sight of the blonde next to Feliciano. "And you, how much did you know? Are you in league with demons too?"

At this Ludwig just stared back at the Brit with his mouth open in shock, and by this point seemed to be on the verge of post traumatic stress. The whole ordeal just seemed so..._unreal_, so incomprehensible. His brother...his big brother, who always been there for him ever since he could remember, was...was...no...that's impossible...

"Arthur!" Laura chided, shooting him a glare telling him to calm down. "Don't accuse people like that! He didn't know anything about demons and hunters until last week!"

"His brother lied to us, so who's to say he wasn't just pretending not to know?" Arthur objected, "We can't trust them, either of them. What if we had never found out about Gilbert? He could have sold us all out to demons! He was probably laughing behind our backs at how gullible we were-"

"Arthur, how can you say something like that?" Roderich interjected, appalled. It was the first time he had spoken since the fox had revealed Gilbert's secret. He seemed exhausted and mentally drained, but he sounded affronted by Arthur's allegation.

"Roderich, don't defend him," Kim snapped, "The evidence is undeniable. It's on his soul, plain and simple."

"You're wrong!" Antonio exclaimed, jumping to his feet heatedly, determination in his green eyes. "You're wrong about him! It isn't that simple! You all think that we don't know Gilbert at all anymore, but...but that's not completely true! I know that he came to save my life when a demon possessed me, and I know that he's my friend! And I'm still his friend!" With that, Antonio turned on his heels and stormed out of the classroom, not caring that everyone else was gaping after him like a crazy person. As he made his way along the cobblestone pathways, he muttered to himself, "They're all wrong...and I'm going to prove it."

* * *

The cold room was entirely vacant except for Gilbert, and the chair he was tied to. His wrists were secured behind the chair with metal chains now, and his ankles were shackled to the chair's front legs so that he couldn't use his soul skill to create a weapon to cut through the bounds. The room was dark, save for the tiny shreds of light that seeped through the shudders of the bolted-shut window.

The sheer emptiness of the room pretty much reflected how Gilbert felt inside as he hung his head and stared blankly at the floor. If someone had ripped his heart right out of his chest and let him bleed to death, he was sure that would have been less painful than this consuming void of his soul. Bleak thoughts swirled around in his mind listlessly, until he reached the point of practically giving up on, well, life entirely. He had never felt so lonely before, but then again, perhaps he was always alone. There had never been anyone there for him, there to help him, not since his parents died. Not when he made the soul deal. These past weeks he had so stupidly let himself become disillusioned into thinking that he could live a life here amongst friends and family, but that was a naive fixation.

His classmates, his teachers, they all hated him now, and probably wanted him dead and gone, but Gilbert knew there was no one else to blame but him. And then there was his brother...the image of Ludwig's devastation in the Gym made Gilbert's heart wrench inside. The only comfort he had now was knowing that at least his brother's soul was safe at the moment. But whether or not it would be for long, Gilbert didn't know...

Then the door creaked open, and he glanced up, startled, only to see Antonio slip inside discreetly. "T-Toni..." he sputtered in surprise.

"Hey Gil," Antonio nodded, but his regarded the albino skeptically, his eyes wary.

"Are..are you here to kill me?" Gilbert whispered hollowly. He couldn't think of any other reason the Spaniard would be here.

"Kill you?" Antonio echoed, taken aback slightly. "No...I'm not supposed to be in here actually, but...everyone else thinks you sold your soul for-for power or something, but I know that's not true! I just can't accept that all the good times we had together were all part of a lie. I don't want to believe it...so please just tell why you sealed you soul to a demon!"

Gilbert shook his head and looked away sadly, "I'm sorry."

"Is it because the demon won't let you?" Antonio frowned. When Gilbert didn't answer, he continued with renewed tenacity, "Because there's another way I can get the truth, and you won't have to say a thing." At this, Gilbert looked up at him again uncertainly, unsure what to say, but Antonio was right in that Gilbert didn't need to say anything at all. "I won't be able to see all your memories, but I can see the most important ones," Antonio said softly, kneeling down so they were at eye level with each other. He gingerly reached out with one hand and touched Gilbert's forehead lightly. Gilbert didn't even flinch, and when Antonio closed his eyes, he did, too.

Gilbert could feel Antonio's gentle presence gliding over his soul. It was a strange feeling, but for some reason, it didn't feel intrusive. Then, brief scenes of his life began to run through his mind, as if someone hit the "fast-forward" button on a tape playing all of the watershed moments in Gilbert's life, and he realized that he was seeing what Antonio was seeing. At first he saw the memory of the day he and Ludwig found out their parents had been killed, when the two of them had cried nonstop in their grief. Then the scene shifted to the first few days of their time in the orphanage, when some stupid bully tried to mess with his younger brother, and Gilbert beat the crap out of him. While Gilbert may have won the fight, it really hurt their chances of getting adopted. The memory jumped forward in time, and he saw a six-year-old Ludwig sniffling because their foster parents had sent them back. "Don't worry, Luddy," he had said all those years ago, "Don't cry. Even if there's no one else, I'll always be right here, next to you, because you're my little brother. The awesome me will always protect you, I promise!"

In the next scene, Gilbert was nine years old, standing outside a dark cave with his nervous little brother. Gilbert wanted to shout at his younger self, tell him not to go inside and listen to Ludwig, but he couldn't speak. So he watched the memory in anxiety, until the moment he said to the demon, "I accept," and the deal was complete. The memory morphed once more, showing quick, fleeting images of training under Illedris. Finally, the memories turned into scenes from the Academy, like his first day with the fight against Kim, his first training session with Elizaveta, but when it showed the day he slew Metus, the vision of Illedris taking Ludwig's soul came back, his greatest fear.

That's when Antonio pulled his hand back, and they both opened their eyes again. Antonio's eyes were watery, and it dawned on Gilbert that the whole time he was reading his soul, he also felt the same emotions that Gilbert had felt during those times. "I knew it," Antonio murmured, wiping his eyes as he smiled softly, "I knew they were wrong."

"How-how could you have trusted me after I betrayed to you?" Gilbert wondered aloud incredulously. It really hit him then how lucky he was to have a friend like Antonio.

"Because I had faith in you and now I know that you're truly not a bad person," he chuckled lightly. He stood up, serious again, "I have to convince the others and the headmaster. Then we can get you out of here."

"You can't, Toni. Maybe it's better this way," Gilbert sighed, pursing his lips, "Me being stuck here, I mean. No matter what kind of person I am, my soul still belongs to a demon..."

"But if we all put our heads together, we can figure out a way to break the deal!" Antonio insisted, "And I'm sure there's a way to do it without putting Ludwig in danger. We just have to search for it. It'll all work out somehow." He gave Gilbert that optimistic grin that was so confident, it was hard not to believe him. Then he silently crept out of the room, leaving Gilbert alone in the darkness again. Funny, even though he was still the only one there, Gilbert didn't feel as lonely anymore.

* * *

There was a moment of stunned silence throughout the room once Antonio had finished recounting what he had seen in Gilbert's memories. Immediately, Antonio had rushed back to the Class A room, where his fellow demon hunters were in the midst of a heated discussion. But his interruption had astounded all of them as they took in the new information.

Finally, Lovino sighed, "Well, he's a bastard, but he's the bastard that helped save my life from that fire demon. I guess he wasn't as bad as we thought after all." He stood up thoughtfully, then announced with a shrug, "I'm going to tell my grandfather the truth, then. Maybe we can sort this fucking situation out somehow."

"Really, Lovi?" Antonio blinked, then grinned at the Italian's display of actual effort. "You'll explain everything?"

"Yeah," Lovino nodded slightly. He threw a brief glance at his twin. Lovino thought about how similar his and Gilbert's situations had been when they each went to extremes to save their brothers' lives, even if that meant sacrificing their own souls. Anyone who would do that wasn't a total son of a bitch. "Stay here. I'll be back." With that, he shoved his hands in his pockets and left the room.

The rest of his classmates, however, were still in a state of confounded speechlessness. "Bruder..." Ludwig whispered, his shoulders shaking. He sat down in a desk before his knees could give out in shock, and even Feliciano couldn't find the words to cheer him up. "He...gave up his soul to save me?...That idiot...I-I never wanted that!"

"Why don't we go outside for a while?" Kiku suggested sympathetically, seeing his anguish, "We always do better in fresh air."

"Ve, Ludwig, he's right," Feliciano agreed, pulling his blonde friend out of his seat by his wrist. Ludwig finally complied, realizing that he didn't want to be around the other hunters right now. He needed some time to sort out his scrambled thoughts, and so he followed Kiku and Feliciano outside.

"Bloody hell," Arthur muttered in frustration, "Now what?! What are we supposed to do?" To be honest, Arthur found it easier to blame Gilbert than to feel so damn sorry for him. But now that they all knew the truth about Gilbert's soul deal, they would have to reconsider everything.

"We have to help him of course!" Alice affirmed, "He needs us now more than ever!"

"Is that even possible?" Natalya frowned, tilting her head. "The demon's attachment is terribly strong with a deal like that."

"Don't forget that he's still working for a demon," Ivan pointed out matter-of-factly, almost to the point of indifference, "Da, he may have sealed his soul away to save his brother, but now the demon has full control over him. He's still dangerous; he'd have to do anything the demon ordered him to."

"But if we can free him, he'd be one of us again," Mei persisted. "There's got to be a way!"

"I pulled Ater Ignis from Antonio's soul," Francis suggested, "Maybe I can do that for Gilbert?"

"No, it wouldn't work," Laura shook her head despondently. "This kind of deal...it's rare, but it's binding. Since Gilbert accepted the demon's terms, the deal has integrated itself into his soul directly. It's part of his soul now, so you can't remove it like that."

"What if we killed the demon?" Elizaveta asked steadfastly. Her eyes were red and slightly swollen from crying quietly to herself, but now her expression had hardened with renewed resolve and conviction now that Antonio had revealed the whole secret.

"Yeah, if we killed it, would that free him?" Alfred asked hopefully, "Because I would totally be the one to do the honors!"

But Laura shook her head once more, "I've read about these soul deals before. Once it's made, the binding to the soul is practically irreversible. No one has ever successfully broken a soul deal before. If we killed his demon master, his soul would still belong to it, and he'd be sucked into the Underworld with the demon."

"He'd go straight to the Underworld?" Yao repeated, horrified.

"Yes. When he sold his soul, he also gave up his passage to the afterlife," Laura explained forlornly.

"It's not fair!" Yong Soo burst out angrily, "He doesn't deserve any of that!"

"The only way to save him is to find some way to separate the deal from the rest of his soul," Roderich said, racking his brains for any possible solutions, but to no avail. Still, he couldn't give up so easily.

"We have to ask Mr. Karpusi," Kim nodded, "And we can search the Academy's record archives for anything that might help."

"Yes, and we could-" Laura started, but stopped abruptly when Lovino burst into the room, taking deep breaths as if he had just sprinted all the way here.

"Just spoke...with my grandfather..." Lovino panted exigently, catching his breath. "The fucking Council...just reached a decision...They've sentenced him to death. They want the execution to take place tomorrow morning."

* * *

From the Author: Gotta love plot advancement! I'll give it a week for that one to sink in.

Anyways, thanks so much for reading, faving, following and reviewing! I'd love to hear predictions and opinions and feedback, so while you're here, any comments will be greatly appreciated! Seriously, I don't thank you guys enough; all your guys' reviews have totally made my day~ Until next chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia nor the song "Hallelujah."

* * *

The door opened slowly with a creak, and someone slipped inside quietly. "Mei?" Gilbert blinked, surprised to see her in his makeshift detention cell.

"Hello, Gilbert," she smiled kindly, kneeling down so that they were face to face.

"Why...why are you here?" he asked tentatively.

"I just wanted to check up on you," she said softly, "Antonio told us what happened. And I..." She trailed off, unable to find the words she wanted to say.

"Mei..." Gilbert murmured regretfully, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what? I don't blame you at all. You did what you had to in order to protect someone you care about. That was very brave of you."

"No, I meant I'm sorry for not being able to help you find Tao's soul."

At this, Mei looked astonished, and her lower lip trembled slightly, "How can you worry about something like that when you've got your own soul to worry about?" Her eyes began tearing up, and Gilbert wanted to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but his wrists were chained at the moment, so he gave an encouraging smile instead.

"I guess it's just easier to think about everyone else but myself. I'm selfish that way," Gilbert tried to chuckle sheepishly, but it only made Mei even more emotional.

"You're not selfish. You shouldn't be here! I-I'm going to get you out of here, and then you can escape." she said suddenly, her hand moving to the chains on his ankles.

"Don't." The sternness in his voice stopped her. "If you let me go, you'll only get in trouble for helping a traitor. I don't want anyone else to pay because of my soul deal."

"But..." She bit her lip uncertainly, and wiped a tear from her eye with her long sleeve. "A-all right. Don't worry, we'll find some way to convince the headmaster to let you go."

"How are the others?" Gilbert finally asked, afraid of the answer.

"They were angry and confused at first," Mei admitted, "But when Antonio explained everything, we were all shocked and...and sad. Now we all want to help you break the deal! And we will, I know it!"

"And my brother?"

"He's... having a hard time taking it all in," Mei sighed. "I think the instructors are questioning him right now."

"What?! But he doesn't know anything, he's innocent!"

"We know," Mei reassured, "But they just want to make sure. They'll release him. I promise that us demon hunters will see to it that he's safe."

"Thanks," Gilbert took a deep breath. "And would you...would you tell Elizaveta that I'm sorry?"

"Of course," she nodded, concern written all over her face. "If you won't let me help you, then the least I can do is sing you a song." Mei smiled tenderly then, and synchronized their souls. It was as if the melancholy notes emanating directly from Mei's soul, the room filling with her heart-trending music. And she began to sing, softly and beautifully. At first, Gilbert felt so overwhelmed with sentiment that he couldn't focus on her words, but finally he took another deep, shaky breath and listened, releasing the tension from his shoulders.

"_Well darling I've been here before,  
I've seen these walls, I've walked this floor  
You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya.  
And I saw your flag on the marble arch,  
But love is not a victory march,  
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah.  
Hallelujah, hallelujah,  
Hallelujah, hallelujah_."

As she continued singing, her soul skill seemed to be amplifying the emotions set forth by the song itself, it's bittersweet melody encircling him.

"_Well maybe there's a God above,  
But all I've ever learned from love  
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya.  
And it's not a cry you'd hear at night  
It's not somebody who's seen the light,  
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah.  
Hallelujah, hallelujah  
Hallelujah, hallelujah_."

When her song came to an end, Mei stood up slowly, "Don't give up hope, Gilbert. We really will find a way to free your soul."

As she slipped back outside, she barely heard him whisper back, "Thank you."

Mei closed the door silently behind her, and turned to Yong Soo, who had been leaning on the wall just outside the room. "You sang him a song?" he asked in a low voice."Well, if it's up to the Council, you'd be singing 'Not One of Us' at his execution."

"Yong Soo!" she snapped in a whisper, "Don't joke like that. This is serious."

"I know, I know," he sighed. "How come you didn't tell him about the execution?"

"Well, what was I supposed to say?" she frowned, a little distressed. "I couldn't tell him that...that he's been sentenced to death..."

"So he wouldn't let you help him escape?"

"No," Mei shook her head. "We have to stop this."

Yong Soo nodded, "Yeah. We can't let them kill him. Let's go back and talk to Kim about it." The two headed out of the hall, but what they did not know, was that they weren't the only ones in the hall.

* * *

Even though it was pretty dark in the room, Gilbert didn't miss the tiny mass of smoke seeping though the minuscule crack under the door. At first he watched it enter the room in confusion, since it was much too small to be his demon master, and there was no way Illedris would come onto the school grounds. Then the small cloud floated in front of Gilbert's face, hovered there for a moment, then condensed and took the shape of a yellow chick that landed on Gilbert's lap. "Gilbird!" he grinned, elated to see his cute little companion again.

Gilbird chirped upon hearing his name. He flew up to nuzzle his soft feathers against Gilbert's cheek warmly, then plopped back down on top of his leg. "What are you doing here?" Gilbert tilted his head curiously.

His bird chirped again, but this time more urgently, flailing his wings erratically. Gilbert frowned, trying to decipher his actions, "Huh?"

Gilbird seemed frustrated with the fact he couldn't speak to him. But as a shape-shifting demon bird, he could always resort to a game of charades. He morphed into a small hammer, like the ones judges at courts use. "A mallet?" Gilbert frowned, "Like...like at a trial or something?" Gilbird returned to chick form and did his best to nod. Then the bird transformed into a small guillotine.

"Wha-what?" Gilbert stammered, dread creeping into his soul. He had a faint idea of what the chick was trying to get at, but...

Gilbird became a chick again and pointed one wing at Gilbert's neck. When he turned into the guillotine once more, the blade used to behead the victim was dripping with blood. Then, to make sure he got the point across, Gilbird shifted into a noose used for hanging convicts. Gilbert gulped. "They're...going to have me killed?"

Back to being a bird, Gilbird chirped sadly in confirmation. "I... I can't die yet..." Death? He wasn't ready for that yet! Who was going to stop Illedris from taking his brother's soul? And frankly, this was not how Gilbert wanted to go out. If he really was going to die, well, he'd rather go down fighting demons. "What am I going to do?" He whispered.

This was the first time he considered breaking out of his chains. To run away would only make him look worse, but if they were going to execute him anyway... But they had secured his wrists and ankles pretty damn good, unfortunately for him. He didn't have a weapon in his inventory that could break through the metal, and not to mention he couldn't even move his hands. He was stuck, with nothing to do but wait for his death sentence.

However, acting as a spark of hope, Gilbird gave him a look that seemed to say, I've got this! Shape-shifting again, the bird turned into what appeared to be a baby dragon with shimmering green scales. It must've been a type of demon that Gilbert had never seen before. The dragon crawled down Gilbert's pant leg to drop to the floor. As Gilbert watched peculiarly, the dragon opened its mouth, much bigger than he would have thought possible, revealing jagged, razor sharp teeth.

The next thing he knew, the dragon chomped down on the shackle at Gilbert's right ankle, the teeth ripping away at the metal as if it were only plastic. Once his right ankle had been freed, the dragon went quickly to work, tearing off the other shackle, then scurrying around to bite off the chains on his wrists.

As soon as he was freed, he jumped to his feet and looked around, contemplating the best way to get out. He wondered if he door was locked from the outside, since it was only an extra storage room. But then he saw the window, carefully opened the shudders to take a peek. The back of the building was facing the campus boundaries, and if he could just get out this way, then it was a clear shot to the wall. He waited for a group of mundane students to pass out of sight below. Once the coast was clear, he summoned a simple crowbar to his hand and used it to wrench the window open from the bottom. He had to push a little harder than expected, but soon the lock on the window broke, and he was able to easily slide it up, making an opening just big enough to leap out of. Gilbert was on the second story, but jumping down wouldn't be a problem; he had had years of practice sneaking out from his house to get to Illedris's lair.

After both feet hit the ground, he stood up, looking around cautiously. There was no one around, no demon hunters at least. They were all probably in the Gym or in their classrooms discussing the situation still. Moving as quickly as possible without being suspicious, Gilbert discreetly made his way to the nearest part of the campus wall, then, after checking once more that he was unnoticed, he creating a rope with a grappling hook at one end.

Scaling the wall was a piece of cake, even though he was rushing. Finally, he was out of the Academy and over the boundary, landing on the grassy side with a soft thump. His rope disintegrated, and instead, Gilbert manifested a simple black bike. Making something that big used up quite a bit of soul energy, but Gilbert had to get out of there fast. He would have to bike to the nearest town, then take a train to some random city and lie low for a while. Before hopping onto his bike, he took one last glance back at the Academy. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Then he was off, riding under the cover of the woods around him.

* * *

By the time early evening rolled around, Feliciano and Ludwig were sitting on a bench in a more secluded part of the campus under a oak tree, with barely anyone else around. Kiku had gone back to the Class A room, since it was his Class and he had to be part of the discussion. After being interrogated pointlessly, Ludwig could only stare at the ground blankly, leaving Feliciano concerned and even a bit scared for his dear friend, since the blonde had never looked so hopeless before. "L-Ludwig?" he ventured reluctantly, his curl drooping as he spoke.

"He sealed his soul...for me," the German muttered shakily. "Then it's my fault, isn't it? My fault...bruder..." His blue eyes were hollow and exhausted.

"Don't be like that, Ludwig!" Feliciano burst out, startling his friend, who blinked at him in surprise. The Italian's lower lip trembled, and tears sprung in his eyes. "You're supposed to be tough! The Ludwig I know is serious and strong and always knows what to do...not-not like this! It's not your fault, and it's not Gilbert's fault. It's no one's fault! Nobody wanted this to happen! And if you stay like this, nothing's going to change. S-so don't be sad anymore!"

"Feli..." Ludwig's eyes softened and he took a deep breath. "I almost can't believe I'm saying this, but you're right. Sitting here sulking isn't going to fix anything." His brother had risked everything to save his life, so now...now perhaps it was his turn. Gilbert needed him, and Ludwig was determined to do whatever it took to help his older brother break the deal and save his soul. But... "I'm only mundane..." Ludwig trailed off uncertainly, "What can I do?"

Feliciano tilted his head to the side questioningly, "What do you mean? You don't need to be a hunter to help Gilbert. There's lots of ways you can help!"

Ludwig thought about this for a moment, then said slowly, "Well...the reason that dummkopf made the deal in the first place was to protect me. But he shouldn't have to protect me anymore. I...I have to get stronger."

"Ve! That's the spirit!" Feliciano threw his arms around his friend in a warm hug. Ludwig let all the tension leave his shoulders. How easy it was to take someone like Feliciano for granted, but right now Ludwig had never been more grateful to have a friend like him.

* * *

"Do you know why the headmaster called us to his office?" Alfred asked Kiku as they sat on one of the plush couches in the lobby of the main office building, waiting to be called in.

"I...I think we are getting an assignment," Kiku frowned, troubled. It was rather late to be getting an assignment, so if that was the case then it must be an emergency one.

"Then why didn't Karpusi just brief us and send us on our way? Why go to the headmaster first?" Alfred scratched his head. So much happened today that neither of them were sure if they the resolve left to take up another mission fighting a demon. Besides, both of them wanted to stay at the Academy until tomorrow, to do whatever they could to stall the execution. Finally, the two were called in, and they headed to the headmaster's round office room.

The two stepped inside to see that Mr. Adnan and Mr. Karpusi were already there, in the middle of a serious conversation with Mr. Vargas. The three looked up when Alfred cleared his throat. Mr. Adnan looked stressed, while Mr. Karpusi was sullen. "Do you know why you're here?" Mr. Adnan asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Um...is it to get an assignment?" Alfred asked, tilting his head.

"This is no ordinary assignment," Mr. Vargas sighed. "That's why we picked you two. Gilbert's escaped."

"What?!" Alfred gawked.

"That's impossible," Kiku stammered, "Those chains were designed to suppress the soul skill of the person it binds. And even if he could use his skill, he couldn't have broken the chains in that position!"

Mr. Adnan held up the remains of the chains, each shackle appearing to have been crunched in half somehow. "We're not sure how this happened," Mr. Karpusi explained, "But we can only assume that the deal he's made with the demon gave him inhuman capabilities."

"He's too dangerous to be let loose," Mr. Vargas continued, "He knows too much about the school. Leaving him be would only jeopardize the lives of everyone here, especially if he gives the demon our secrets. Kiku, I'm going to need you to track him down. Alfred, go with him; he'll need your help once he finds Gilbert."

"And when we do find him?" Kiku asked tentatively.

"The Council's orders still stand," the headmaster said quietly, "Think of it as just another assignment like you're hunting a demon. Do what we hunters always do. Terminate the threat."

Alfred was about to protest, but Kiku stopped him, "Hai, of course." Then, before Alfred could say something stupid, Kiku pulled him out of the room and quickly led him out of the building.

As the two headed towards the subway station, Alfred argued, "Dude! What was that all about? I-I don't want to kill him!"

"I don't either," Kiku agreed, "But if we didn't accept the assignment, then they would have just sent someone else to do the job. If we find Gilbert, maybe we can capture him without killing him and then..." Kiku trailed off, unsure what else to say.

"And then we can figure it out from there," Alfred finished with a nod, "Good idea! Maybe by the time we get back, the headmaster will have a change of heart or something."

"Hey! You guys are going to go hunt down Gilbert, aren't you?"

Kiku and Alfred turned to see Elizaveta coming their way from the other side of the station. "How did you know?" Kiku asked.

"Well, I saw Adnan walking back holding the broken shackles. I knew that Gilbert had gotten away and that they were going to send someone after him," she said firmly. "And if you're going after him, then I'm going to!"

Kiku shook his head, "You're not authorized to go on this assignment..."

Elizaveta regarded him carefully, "You've been ordered to kill him, haven't you?"

Alfred and Kiku exchanged uneasy glances. "Yeah, but we..." Alfred started, "We aren't going to. But you might get in trouble if you leave the Academy without permission."

"Look, if you're going, then I am too," she insisted stubbornly.

Kiku sighed, "Well, I guess we can't stop you from following us, can we?"

"Yeah, as long as we can say we tried to send you back," Alfred chuckled.

"Good," Elizaveta smirked as the subway doors slid open, "Because I have a bone to pick with that red-eyed idiot."

* * *

It was 6 a.m. when Gilbert finally trudged out of the train. He stretched once he was outside the train and in the station, yawning and rubbing his eyes. He was glad that he caught at least a little shut eye on the ride to this city. Heck, he didn't even know what city he was in. It didn't matter. He also didn't have anything but the clothes on his back and Gilbird, who hid inside his jacket pocket. To pay for his train ticket, Gilbert used the technique he had worked on with Roderich, creating counterfeit money with his soul skill, focusing on making it tangible until the clerk put it into the cash register, then Gilbert let it disintegrate. So maybe it was a really sneaky way of stealing, but a guy's got to do what a guy's got to do.

But now that he was away from the Academy, he didn't know what to do. He supposed his first plan of action was to find someplace to just sit down and think, because with all the people bustling about, he couldn't concentrate in a train station. But as he exited the station, he saw that there weren't many people out on the streets, and those that were still walking on the sidewalks were opening their umbrellas. Gilbert glanced up to see why, and sure enough, dark grey, gloomy clouds covered the sky overhead, indicating that it would rain soon.

Scratch that, it would rain right about...now.

It started off lightly, just a few sprinkles of raindrops, but in a matter of moments, it began to pour. But Gilbert didn't really have the energy to care anymore. He wandered the streets aimlessly, until he came across an empty park, and plopped down on one of the benches. For a while he just sat there, letting the rain hit his face and drench his clothes as his thoughts spiraled down into borderline depression.

What was he going to do? Now that he'd run away, there's no way the Academy would ever take him back. Would he ever see his friends again? Actually, he wasn't sure they even wanted to see him again. He hoped that they didn't hound Ludwig too much for being the brother of the traitor, but Mei promised that Ludwig would be safe behind the Academy's walls. And then there was Elizaveta...God, he missed her so much. He was so used to seeing her every day for training or for tutoring, but those times were behind him now. Suddenly he felt so guilty. Yesterday was supposed to be her test into Class A, but her big day was ruined utterly. He wondered what she thought of him now, but perhaps he didn't want to know. She probably still thought he was some sort of monster for working with a demon.

..._Verdammt_, what was Illedris going to say when she found out? Gilbert shuddered involuntarily at the thought. She didn't know at the moment, which was probably why the soul deal was still intact, but once she was done running her "errands" with the alliances, she'd come back to see that Gilbert was no longer undercover at the Academy. Would she consider the deal broken then, and take Ludwig's soul in retaliation? Would his worst fear become reality?

No, no, it wouldn't, Gilbert told himself in his head. Ludwig was safe with the other demon hunters, right? He was friends with all the hunters in the higher Classes, so they wouldn't just let a demon take his soul, right? But then...were any of them safe inside the Academy?

Suddenly he remembered what Illedris had said to him at their last meeting in the forest, "_Now that you've given me all the necessary information, there's a lot of things on my agenda for my future plans_." Plans? What kind of plans was she talking about? Gilbert bit his lip. He had had suspicions about what Illedris's ultimate goal was when she had allowed him to enroll in the Academy, but he had naively shoved those bleak thoughts aside in stubborn denial. But now, there was no denying it...

Just before she disappeared into smoke, Illedris had hinted mischievously, "_And when I do return...it's going to be one hell of a time_." Did she...did she mean that literally? "_When all hell breaks loose_," she had also said. She was after the Academy, and had been using Gilbert to extract secret information from within its walls, that much had always been certain. But now it seemed that she actually had the means of sending the school to its downfall if she had indeed made successful alliances with other demons. Demons normally couldn't organize and cooperate, so they had no chance of overrunning the Academy alone, but under her leadership, they could prove to be unstoppable.

The reapers had tried to warn Gilbert and Alfred after their encounter with Nidor, "_Nidor wasn't bluffing when he said the Academy's days were numbered. There's been a huge spike in demon activity lately. Soon they'll be powerful enough to overtake the Academy once and for all." _

Just then, Gilbird peeked out of his pocket, then hopped onto his lap, peering up at his friend sadly. "I was so stupid, Gilbird," he murmured, "I knew Illedris wanted to attacked the school from the start, and that I would be her ticket in, but I...I didn't want to believe it. But I told her everything she needed to know to take it down. If she does have an army of demons, she could destroy everything now that she knows their secrets. Did I...did I kill them?"

In response, Gilbird morphed into a familiar pendant that landed in Gilbert's palm. It was the emblem he had received from the headmaster after slaying Metus, with the engraved golden bird holding the sword in its talons, wings outstretched. The three virtues glinted around the bird: Integrity, Courage, Justice. "Why are you showing me this?" Gilbert frowned, puzzled at his bird's gesture.

Then the medallion flipped itself around, reveal another short message engraved on the back in very tiny letters: _You have never lost everything until you have lost hope_. So this was Gilbird's idea of a motivational pep talk to raise his spirits. Gilbert gave a small smile, "What are you trying to say?"

The emblem transformed into a sheet of paper. Being a speechless bird, it was hard to communicate ideas, but somehow Gilbird managed to show Gilbert rather than speak to him. The paper was titled "Illedris's To-Do List," followed by three bulleted points.

1. Send Gilbert into Academy to get information

2. Form demon alliances to build army

3. Invade the Academy

As soon as Gilbert was done reading, the paper flipped itself over, and on the back it was titled, "Gilbert's To-Do List," with another three points.

1. Find out how Illedris will attack Academy

2. Go back to Academy

3. Save friends

The paper shifted back into a yellow chick, who chirped resiliently before flying up to land on Gilbert's shoulders and nudge his cheek with his fluffy feather encouragingly. Gilbert grinned wholeheartedly, "Thanks little buddy, have I ever told you how awesome you are? You're right, I got them into this whole mess, so I have to get them out! Now the only problem is finding out where to start looking for information..."

He glanced up, seeing a giant billboard on top of the building across the street from the park that was welcoming visitors to the city. But as he read the city's name, he furrowed his brow at its familiarity. "Information..." he muttered again, something tugged at the back of his mind. Then he thought of the last time he had been in a city, when he ran into Vendetta at the Serpent's Womb. He remembered the conversation they had had in the motel, and the address that she had written down and given to him. "Information brokers!" Gilbert exclaimed suddenly, startling Gilbird. "That's it! This is the city from the address she gave me!" Holy crap, what a coincidence! Perhaps the universe was feeling sorry for him for once.

He was so glad that he had accidentally memorized that address, because Vendetta had been right; he would need it. "C'mon Gilbird, we just need to go find that address. I bet we can ask for directions or something. Let's just hope these brokers won't be as underhanded as Vendetta was..."

* * *

"You think that Kiku and Alfred can handle Gilbert by themselves?" Sadik frowned, concerned. He was back in the headmaster's office with Heracles and Romulus.

"Together, yes, I think they can overcome Gilbert. They are two of our best students," Heracles nodded, though he looked doubtful himself. "The real question is whether or not they can...terminate him."

The room fell silent for a moment, before Romulus asked Heracles sullenly, "What will happen to him if he is killed while still in service to the demon?"

"The soul deal would still stand," Heracles explained regretfully, "He would be sent to the Underworld for eternity, awaiting his demon master. The binding prevents his soul from moving on to the afterlife."

"Damnit," Sadik clenched his jaw, "What are we supposed to do? We can't let him live while serving a demon, but...how can we sentence him to that kind of fate?"

Again, no one said a word, since neither of the other two had an answer. After Lovino had told them what Antonio had seen in Gilbert's soul, none of them could figure out what to do. However, the Council's order was final and there was nothing Romulus could do to change their minds at this point; Gilbert was to be executed for treason, regardless of the reason for the deal.

"Do you think Kiku and Alfred will carry out their order?" Sadik exhaled, sounding weary.

"I think...I think they'll do the right thing," Romulus murmured, "Whatever that may be."

* * *

A Laundromat. The address had taken him to a freaking Laundromat. Was this Vendetta's idea of a sick joke?! Gilbert debated just walking away, but now that he was here, he might as well check to make sure. Taking a deep breath, he entered the worn down place, which was completely empty except for himself and the clerk behind the counter who was busy on the computer. There was a row of dusty washing machines and dryers lined up against the wall, but judging by their condition, they hadn't been used in ages. Huh.

Without looking up, the clerk asked, still typing whatever she was typing on the keyboard, "Can I help you?"

"Yeah," Gilbert replied, confidence returning to his voice. There was something off about this place, and he was going to find out what. "I'm looking for Maria, Carlos and Neeraja. Do you know where I can find them?"

Now the clerk looked up from the screen, regarding carefully, "What kind of business are you here on?"

"Does the word 'hunter' mean anything to you?"

She paused for a moment, before answering, "Very well, I assume you are a new customer? I'll need you to leave any weaponry you are carrying on your person here at the counter."

"I don't have any on me," Gilbert responded smoothly, which was technically true.

"Any untimely and rude behavior will not be tolerated and will result in immediate expulsion of the building by security. Got it?"

"Sure?" Gilbert nodded, though a little confused.

She turned back to the computer screen and resumed working. "Third washer down. From there, it'll be your fourth door on your right."

Gilbert blinked, but the girl wasn't paying him any attention anymore. Shaking his head, he went over third washer, seriously doubting the girl's instructions. But sure enough, it was no ordinary washing machine, and when he opened its door, the machine itself seemed to reveal a hidden tunnel inside, just big enough for him to crawl in. He stared at it for a moment in disbelief, then figured, what the hell, why not?

He ended up crawling inside the metal tunnel for a few minutes, before starting to feel a little claustrophobic. Luckily, he didn't have to stay cramped for much longer because the tunnel abruptly opened up into a dimly-lit hallway. After hopping out of the tunnel, Gilbert absently dusted off his clothes as he straightened up, examining his surroundings. There was no one else to be seen, only an empty hall with multiple doors in either direction. The whole place seemed a bit shady, so he decided to just head straight for the fourth door to his right instead of taking a detour.

Fortunately, the door was unlocked, and he stepped inside cautiously. He found himself in a large room with no windows whatsoever, shelves of books against one wall, and a couple of couches in front of a plasma TV on another wall. Opposite to the door was a long wooden desk with three swivel chairs and two computer monitors next to three tall filing cabinets. In the center of the room was a lone sofa.

Two of the three swivel chairs behind the desk were occupied. Both of them appeared to be around Gilbert's age, to his surprise, and one of them seemed to be asleep, his feet propped up on the desk, while the other was reading something on the monitor. There was another girl lounging on one of the couches, doing something on her phone. It wasn't until Gilbert closed the door behind them that the guy on the computer realized he was there, and awoke the guy next to him. The girl put her phone down and stood up with a smirk, looking Gilbert up and down as she spoke, "A new client? Wow, you're sopping wet!"

"Yeah, well, it's raining outside," Gilbert shrugged indifferently.

The girl rummaged through one of the drawers near the back of the room, while the guy who had been on the computer went up to Gilbert and offered to shake his hand, "Welcome, what can we do for you today?"

"You three are the information brokers, right? Maria, Carlos, and Neeraja?"

"That's us," the one who had been sleeping said, not bothering getting up from his chair, "But how do you know our names? Not even some regulars ever learn our names." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Um, well, Vendetta recommended this place to me," Gilbert said tentatively, unsure of what he was supposed to say at this point.

"Vendetta? Well, this ought to be interesting," the girl giggled, pulling out a dry towel and tossing it to Gilbert.

"I'm surprised you met her and lived. I'm Neeraja," the more-friendly computer guy introduced, "And over there is Carlos, and this is Maria. Anyone who can survive that succubus is welcome here! Now then, let's get down to business, shall we?"

* * *

From the Author: Since my last two chapters were terrible cliffhangers, I thought I'd go easy on you guys this time around

Maria is the Philippines, Carlos is Mexico, and Neeraja is India~

Still can't believe I manage to type this up between my tight schedule, but I just love writing for you guys~ Have I ever mentioned that you guys totally rock?! Breaking 50 reviews is a huge milestone and I have you guys to thank for it~ Seriously, you're all so awesome! Thanks again so much for reading, faving, following, and especially reviewing! Until next chapter! :D


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Hetalia is in no way,shape, nor form, mine at all! It belongs to someone who is not me.

* * *

"So how can we help you today, mister...?" Neeraja asked, a small smile on his lips as he pulled the swivel chair around the desk and sat down facing Gilbert, who plopped down on the sofa in the middle of the room. The girl with long, dark brown hair tumbling past her shoulder, Maria, sat on the wooden desk with her legs dangling, while Carlos still leaned back in his chair, propping his feet on the desktop.

Gilbert hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was safe to give these people his real name, but they seemed trustworthy enough, "Gilbert Beilschmidt."

Maria tilted her head slightly, eying Gilbert peculiarly, as if trying to recognize his face. "That name..." she muttered to herself, "Sounds so familiar..." But she dismissed the thought, unable to recall any connection to Gilbert's name.

"I, er, came here because Vendetta said you could give me some answers," Gilbert started, "Though I'm not sure if any kind of information broker can answer my questions..."

Carlos pretended to look offended, "If anyone in the country has the answers you're looking for, it's us, amigo! You see, we're not your ordinary agents off of the streets." He winked with a smirk, and Maria giggled as she nodded in agreement. "So hit us with your best shot!"

"Okay then," Gilbert said, though he was still a bit doubtful, "I heard that the Venator Academy is in danger of a demon attack, and I want to know more about it."

The three brokers exchanged glances, then Carlos burst out laughing for reasons Gilbert couldn't fathom why. Neeraja gave Gilbert a puzzled look, "Are you from the Academy?"

"You could say that," Gilbert answered vaguely, though technically he was pretty sure that being sentenced to death meant that he'd been expelled.

"Seriously? The _Academy_ sent one of their demon hunters _here_?" Carlos cracked up, "Wow, they must be desperate!"

"I never said they sent me," Gilbert shook his head, "But why is that so funny?"

"So they didn't send you here?" Neeraja exhaled, "That would make a lot more sense."

"Yeah," Maria nodded, "The Academy hates us! They'd never come to us even if their lives depended on it."

"Why is that?" Gilbert frowned in confusion.

Carlos grinned, "The Council condemned our families years ago. They don't like the way we run our little business here. But it's not like we care or anything. They can't stop us."

"Huh?" Gilbert was still missing something here, obviously.

"You see," Neeraja explained, "They don't approve of the sources we use to get our information. They condemned us because they think we're consorting with demons and the like. Traitors to the demon hunting kind, they called us."

"So do you? Consort with demons, I mean," the albino raised an eyebrow, though he knew he had no right to judge them. That would be just hypocritical.

"I wouldn't say consort," Carlos shrugged, "It's true a lot of our sources don't have souls, but hey, demons have a lot of secrets just itching to get found out. And I guess we do treat some demons like any other clients. They pay well sometimes."

"Like Vendetta, for instance," Neeraja continued, "She's not that bad, you know. And she updates us a lot on demon affairs."

"We trick most of the demons into giving us information, though," Maria added, "Our methods of extracting those secrets are tactful, I assure you. It's not like we're on the demons' side, you know."

"Of course not," Neeraja nodded, "We don't give out information to demons who would use it to kill people. Maria here is the moral conscience of the group; she won't let us get our hands too dirty."

"Most of our clients are vigilante demon hunters anyway, not part of the Academy but wanting to do their job. We give them the whereabouts of a lot of major demons," Carlos said.

"Anyways, back to the matter at hand," Neeraja waved off, "You want to know about what the demons are up to, don't you?"

Gilbert nodded, "I know they want to invade the Academy, but I need to know how and when."

"We might be able to help," Carlos nodded, "But that's a pretty big scheme...it's going to cost you."

"Cost...?" he frowned. He hadn't thought about this part. "How much?"

"More than I think you can afford," Neeraja put it bluntly, "Getting that kind of information is tricky, especially when the conspiracy is wound so tight."

"Oh, stop it, you two," Maria rolled her eyes, "He doesn't have to pay us in gold. We can do a trade."

"A trade? What kind of trade?" Gilbert inquired reluctantly.

"Trade information. Besides, I want to get to know more about you, your name is just so familiar for some reason! And if Vendetta let you live, then I'm sure there's got to be some reason that she sent you our way," Maria smiled. "If you want us to tell you anything, you have to answer our questions first. What Class are you in? Do you have a soul skill?"

"Class A," Gilbert answered with a smirk, and to answer her second question, he held out his hand and manifested a long bronze shaft with a spear tip at one end. Neeraja nodded in approval, and Maria's eyes lit up, impressed, while Carlos sat up in his chair, interested.

"Bravo," Neeraja grinned as Gilbert let go of the spear, which dissolved, "Wow, you must have been in Class A for a long while to perfect that kind of soul projection."

"Actually, I just enrolled this year," Gilbert chuckled, none-too-modestly. However, as soon as Maria heard this, her smile faded.

"Wait, you're the new student at the Academy? The new Class A hunter?" Maria regarded him carefully, an skeptical edge to her voice.

"Yeah, why?" Gilbert blinked, perplexed by her change in demeanor. He glanced at Neeraja, who was now staring at him in surprise, while Carlos's mouth fell open.

"Why...why do you need to know the demons' plans? Don't you already know?" Maria asked, bewildered.

"Already know?" Gilbert echoed, "How would I already know?"

"You...you are him, aren't you?" Neeraja inquired, furrowing his brow, "You're the hunter from the rumors..."

"What rumors?"

"Word amongst the demons has it that there's a spy among the highest Class of Venator Academy," Carlos muttered, "A spy who just entered this year."

"Of course," Maria exclaimed, "That's where I've heard your name before! The major demons have been boasting that they've finally found a way to infiltrate the Academy. You're their ticket in."

"Why are you here?!" Neeraja demanded suddenly, "Someone like you, you actually are working for demons! You're bad news! Have you come here to dispose of us as well?!"

"No, it's not like that, I swear," Gilbert shook his head frenetically, raising his hands to prove he meant no harm. "I'm here because Vendetta told me that when...when I finally screwed up I could get help from you guys."

"What do you mean? You screwed up how?" Maria questioned curiously, though Neeraja still scrutinized him.

"My secret's out," Gilbert sighed. "Some fox demon ratted me out to the Academy. I...I was supposed to be executed soon for treason, so I escaped."

"Wow, and they thought _we_ were traitors," Carlos chortled to himself.

"But, how did you guys know about me?" Gilbert frowned, "Why would the demons tell other demon hunters about a...a spy?" He forced himself to admit that last part, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

Neeraja grinned knowingly, "We're not your average demon hunters, that's why our information is so reliable."

"We have our ways," Carlos winked mischievously. "You still didn't really answer our question though. Why come to us? Don't you already have all the answers? Why not ask your demon pals?"

"You have it all wrong," Gilbert sighed, "I'm not serving a demon because I want to. I have no other choice. They won't tell me more than I need to know, and I can't question orders."

"Interesting," Maria cocked her head to the side. "There was more to the rumors, right Neeraja?"

"Yeah," the Indian nodded thoughtfully, "Something about their hunter being on a 'tight leash' or something, which I'm guessing that means whoever you're working for compelled you into some sort of binding arrangement?"

Gilbert nodded, though inside he was worried they would demand to know even more about his predicament. Under Illedris's orders, he could not reveal his master's name directly, but other than that, he wasn't sure how much he could get away with telling. He supposed the Mark would let him know if he was about to break it, albeit painfully.

"You're a tainted soul, aren't you?" Maria asked, a hint of sympathy in her voice.

"Yeah," he exhaled miserably. It was hard for him to accept that fact, but he had been one since he was nine years old.

"Hold on," Neeraja said, picking up a piece of blank paper from the desk and grabbing a pen. He quickly drew something then held it up for them to see. It depicted a messily scribbled snake with wings biting its own tail in a circle. "Does this look familiar to you?"

Gilbert nodded again unhappily, "I know it all too well. It's inked into my back."

Carlos raised an eyebrow, "Inked? You don't mean...the demon Marked you?" When Gilbert nodded a third time, the three brokers all looked at each other again. Finally, Neeraja spoke.

"You've sold your soul, haven't you?" he said sadly, "And the Ouroboros is your seal. That same symbol is the one used by the major demons' alliance. You must be serving their ringleader, Illedris, right?"

To this, Gilbert could not answer. The Mark on his back was getting dangerously hot, and he did not want to relive the searing sensation that had ripped through him when Ivan tried to force the answer from his lips. So he simply avoided the question with another, "You know about the alliances then?"

"Yep," Maria smirked, "Only demons are supposed to know about it, but I have a soul skill that no demon could have ever imagined." She laughed then, and all of a sudden her pupils dilated so that her brown irises disappeared altogether, leaving eyes of pure black and white. Her canine sharpened and grew considerably larger, and even her nails became pointed. Gilbert straightened up in alarm, caught completely off guard, staring at her with wide eyes.

Carlos couldn't help but crack up at the shocked look on Gilbert's face, "Maria here can make herself look like a demon. And she can even make her soul look like a demon's essence. It's the perfect camouflage and the perfect guise for coaxing secrets out of the more talkative demons." Still giggling, Maria reverted back to her normal, human appearance.

"Carlos here can use his skill to confuse those around him, tricking information out of them, and afterwards, they won't even remember what happened," Maria waved off, giving her partners some credit, "It even works on some demons. And Neeraja's like the human database of our trio."

"Database?" Gilbert echoed.

Neeraja nodded, "I can retain almost every fact or rumor that I come across. That way we don't have any written records or evidence that needs to be burned or hidden." For a brief moment, Gilbert was reminded of Laura, since her soul skill was very similar. "Anyways," the Indian continued, "Why are you so hell-bent on finding out what the demons are up to?"

"I...I want to stop them before they can hurt any of my friends. I just need to find out how," Gilbert affirmed confidently, thought the three brokers didn't look so sure.

"Oh, just tell him already," Maria exasperated, directed at her partners. "We can just wave the cost for now and he can pay us back later somehow. You know there isn't much time..."

"We don't even know that much about it," Neeraja admitted with a sigh. But after another stern look from Maria, he turned to Gilbert again, "But I guess I can tell you what we've found out. Apparently, the demons are organizing into some kind of army, one powerful enough to override the Academy's defenses, now that they know what those defenses are. From what we've been hearing lately underground, their biggest obstacles are the Class A hunters and the headmaster. There's a rumor that the major demons have come up with a plan that will nullify the Class A threat, but we haven't been able to unlock that secret yet. However, once they do break in to the school, the major demons have promised everyone in their alliance that they can feed on the mundane souls within the school. That's a huge incentive for a lot of the minor demons to join them, since they don't get to feast as much."

"Is that all?" Gilbert pressed, hoping for more. So far, it wasn't much to go on, especially if he wanted to stop the demons before the assault on the school.

"Well, that's all we were able to unravel," Carlos divulged, scratching his head, "But we do know that it's going to happen soon. Like, before-the-end-of-the-month soon."

"What?!" Gilbert exclaimed. It wasn't nearly enough time for him to uncover Illedris's plot and prevent the invasion. It was hardly anytime at all! Even the reapers had guessed that the invasion would be another few months from now, or even a year. "You guys knew about their plans, but you never told anyone at the Academy?"

Maria frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, looking away. Neeraja gave him a look as if he didn't understand the question. Carlos sat up and huffed, "Well, why should we help those stuck-up Council-worshipers anyway? The Council made it very clear that they didn't want 'scum' like us to attend their schools. They don't deserve our help! I bet they don't even want us 'disgraces' to lend them a hand since they're so proud and self-righteous. They never gave a damn about us, so why should we?"

"Carlos, don't..." Maria murmured, placing a tender hand on his shoulder to calm him down, but then Gilbert spoke up.

"Look, I can see where you're coming from. I don't even remotely like the Council myself, but the people at the Academy are nothing like those geezers. They're brave people willing to put their life on the line for others. It's not as bad as you think. I'm sure if you just went there in person they'd accept you into their Classes," Gilbert said ardently, "And they're like family to me, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to save them. So is there anything else you can tell me?"

Neeraja considered him carefully, as if contemplating something. "That's all we know about their plot, but I can tell you where to find more information. There are a couple of demons I can name that are part of the alliance, and maybe you can get them to tell you more. But...you do know that if you do this, it goes against the deal you've made with your demon. And I'm sure you already know the consequences of breaking such a bargain..."

"I know, but I have to do this," Gilbert told him, a resolute expression on his face. "But, if you know anything about soul deals, I could use a little help..."

"Not much that can be of help, I'm afraid," Neeraja shook his head disconsolately. "You aren't the first one to make a soul deal, that's for sure, but they're rare, extremely rare. As far as I know, no one has ever broken a soul deal successfully."

"You could give up your soul completely," Carlos pointed out matter-of-factly, "But you'd become a demon."

"No, I can't do that," he sighed, recalling his night with Vendetta. So if he was going to defy his master's orders, there was only one fate waiting for him now.

Maria caught the hopeless look in his eyes and spoke up, "Don't give up just yet, Gilbert! Just because we don't know a way doesn't mean it isn't possible." Meanwhile, Neeraja had been jotting down some notes on the piece of paper that he had drawn the Ouroboros on, and handed it to Gilbert.

"Those are the names of several demons in the alliance that might know a thing or two about the invasion plan," he explained. "And next to each name is where you are most likely to find them, at least from what we've found out recently."

"There's one more thing that maybe you can help me with. Actually, two things," Gilbert said, making the brokers perk up expectantly, "You don't happen to know where the demon Nihilum is, do you? It's cursed one of my friends, and I'm going to slay it for him."

"The demon of nothing, huh?" Carlos pondered, "Not even we can track down its whereabouts."

"Sorry, but that an impossible question to answer," Neeraja said apologetically, "But I can tell you this: Nihilum has recently entered the demon alliance. Word is that on the day of the invasion, Nihilum will finally resurface again. If you going to break your friend's curse, that would be the time to do it. And your second request?"

"If...if a soul were to go missing, where would be a good place to look for it?" Gilbert asked vaguely, thinking back to the promise he had made Mei, that he would search for Tao's soul if he ever got the chance.

"Assuming it wasn't eaten by a demon?" Maria frowned, perplexed.

"Yeah, you see, his body's still alive, but his soul is gone, so he's been in a coma ever since," Gilbert told them, hoping that made sense.

"Hmm...quite the quandary," Neeraja murmured in thought, "Though that almost sounds familiar..."

"Yeah, it sounds like that old myth," Carlos suggested. "You remember what my _papi_ used to say about the Garden of Lost Souls, right?"

"Garden of Lost Souls?" Gilbert repeated, puzzled.

"Yeah, most people don't think it actually exists, but I'm not so sure," Maria added with a shrug. "But it sounds like the place your friend's soul would be."

"How would I find this place?"

"We're not even sure it's real," Neeraja waved off, "But I bet an old-time major demon would know about it. It's an ancient myth. You could even ask some of those demons on that list."

"All right," Gilbert nodded, standing up. "Thanks, for everything."

"Don't thank us just yet," Carlos winked lightheartedly, "We'll be expecting some sort of payment once you're done, if you survive, that is."

"Yeah, so don't die," Maria smiled warmly, "I really do hope you find a way to break your deal."

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you," Neeraja grinned, "It makes my job much more interesting! And if you are alive after all of that, make sure to come visit again, and maybe I'll know more about the Garden."

"Right," Gilbert grinned back, shaking his hand. These brokers weren't so bad; actually, there were his kind of people, he thought to himself in the back of his mind, they didn't mind taking risks and bending the rules.

As Gilbert walked out the door holding the list, Neeraja called genuinely, "Good luck, Gilbert!"

* * *

Normally, Ludwig was always on top of his studies, especially if the topic of the lecture was as interesting as demon hunter strategy. Normally, Class D talks about soul skills and how demons could be killed held his attention from beginning to end, even if he knew he would never be more than mundane. Normally, he would be taking notes and jotting down key facts in an erudite fashion. But normally, he wouldn't have to worry about his older brother, deemed a traitor by the very school he was attending, and who had been missing for two days now. He sat there, almost numbly, staring down at the blank piece of paper, gripping the pen in his hand harder than he should be, lost in serious thought. His teacher noticed, but just let him be, while other students seemed to be avoiding him, the little brother of the demon's spy.

As soon as school ended for the day, Ludwig headed to Alice's cafe to meet up with Feliciano. He was surprised to see that Roderich was also there, already sitting down with Feliciano, who was sipping another chai latte. "Ve! Hey, Ludwig!" the Italian greeted cheerfully.

"Hello," Ludwig replied after the Austrian also said hello. "Any word about Kiku yet?"

"No," Roderich sighed, "Not since he left to go...find your brother."

"I have to ask...Was the assignment just to go find Gilbert and bring him back, or was it to...you know," Ludwig asked, unable to bring himself to say it aloud.

Hesitating, Roderich looked down uneasily, only worsening Ludwig's qualm, but finally answered, "I'm not sure, to be honest. The instructors haven't told us anything. They've been trying to continue class like any other day, and they won't answer our questions about it."

"I heard that Kim's pretty mad," Feliciano said, a little down for a moment, "that the instructors keep trying to ignore everything that happened. She and Laura were in the library almost all day after school yesterday, but they haven't found anything useful yet."

"Oh," Ludwig sighed. To Feliciano he still looked exhausted, slight dark circles about his eyes from fragmented sleep at night.

"I can't believe that Elizaveta took off after them," Roderich mused, concerned, "Actually, I suppose I should have expected she'd do that. Thinking things through was never really a habit of hers."

"Don't worry, if she's with Kiku and Alfred she'll be fine," Feliciano consoled.

"Do you think they've found him yet? It's been two days now," Ludwig asked, trying to mask his anxious feelings. He wasn't used to worrying over his big brother like this, but now, how could he not worry?

Roderich nodded, "If they haven't found him yet, then they'll find him really soon. I don't think Gilbert ever quite understood the real nature of Kiku's soul skill."

"What do you mean?" Ludwig frowned, puzzled.

"You see, Kiku can not only see souls, but he can track a soul anywhere on this side of the continent. Every soul is unique, as you know, and Kiku has the ability to pinpoint a soul's exact location as long as it's in this region. It's a complicated process, and I'm not even totally sure how it works, but that's the reason he was chosen for this job," Roderich elucidated.

"I see," Ludwig nodded, but that didn't really make him feel any better. Would Kiku end up fighting his brother? He hoped not...

Feliciano, seeing how fast his friend's mood was plummeting, stood up abruptly, and pulled Ludwig out of his seat, "Ve, c'mon, Ludwig! Let's go to the locker room already. I know running makes you feel better!"

"All right," Ludwig said, as Feliciano began dragging him out of the cafe, "See you later, Roderich."

On their way to the boys' locker room, Feliciano did most of the chattering, but Ludwig found it hard to focus on what he was saying, partly because his thoughts were already preoccupied and partly because the Italian talked way too fast. However, just before they reached the locker room, someone called, "Hey! Wait up!" Ludwig and Feliciano turned to see a girl with long, dark hair tied into two pigtails with bright red ribbons trying to catch up to them.

"Hi Michelle," Feliciano greeted friendly.

"Hey Feli," Michelle smiled, then turned to the blonde, "You're Ludwig, right? Beilschmidt?"

"Ja, that's me," he nodded, curious.

"Great! Can you tell me where to find your brother, Gilbert? I haven't seen him in a while and I never got the chance to thank him for his advice about Francis," she gushed, remembering his blunt, but bold suggestion regarding dating the French student.

"Oh, um, he's actually not on campus right now," Ludwig sputtered, knowing that she was a mundane mortal, so she couldn't know that his brother was technically a fugitive at the moment.

"What for? Do you know when he'll be back?" she inquired, tilting her head.

"He's...away on a student internship, so he won't be back for a while," Ludwig lied sheepishly. It was the first excuse he could come up with, but even he knew how strange it sounded. "But I can tell him thanks for you next time I see him."

"Well, the thing is, I kind of wanted to talk to him about something else that's been bothering me. I know he's really good friends with Francis, so I thought he could help me again," Michelle sighed, shoulders slumping slightly.

"I know Francis," Feliciano piped up, happy to try to help, "What's wrong? Is he being mean or something?"

"No, it's nothing like that. I'm just worried he's hiding something from me," Michelle frowned. "But I don't really know what it could be. Last week, I mentioned skipping school for a day, just as a suggestion, but Francis quickly said that he couldn't. I asked him why out of curiosity, and he said he couldn't afford to miss his Mythology class. Apparently he's pretty into it. But the other day, I brought up Zeus into the conversation, you know, the Greek God, king of Olympus? Well, he didn't know who I was talking about, and I was like, how can you take an advanced Mythology class and not know who Zeus is?"

Ludwig wasn't sure what he should say at this point, but that was fine, because she continued, "But then I thought, okay maybe he just doesn't pay attention in class or maybe he hasn't reached Greek mythology yet and is studying a different culture's mythology. I just brushed it off as no big deal, but yesterday Francis started acting all weird and even a little depressed. He keeps saying everything's fine, but I can tell he's lying. And I noticed all his classmates from his advanced Mythology class have been acting kind of the same way whenever I see them. Something's not right..."

"Well maybe they all just took a huge exam and they all failed," Feliciano suggested speciously. He and Ludwig both knew the real reason everyone was down, of course, but Michelle needed some kind of explanation that didn't have anything to do with Gilbert's soul deal.

"Maybe," Michelle sighed, "But I still feel like Francis is keeping secrets."

"Don't worry," Feliciano reassured, "I'm sure it's nothing he'd want you to stress out about. I think he really cares about you! Maybe you can cheer him up, if you say he's been depressed."

The Seychellois girl thought about this for a moment, "I should, shouldn't I? All right, I try. Thanks guys!" With that, she went off to find her boyfriend.

"That was bad," Ludwig exhaled. He remembered the shock he had gone through when he first found out about the demon hunters. Before hand, he had also had growing suspicions about the classes Gilbert and the others were taking, but he never would have guessed the crazy truth. Michelle didn't needed to go through the same thing.

"That's why we aren't supposed to date mortals," Feliciano nodded, "But as long as Francis tries to act normal from now on, he should be just fine!"

"Ja," Ludwig agreed, "But we should tell him who Zeus is."

* * *

It had been a day since Gilbert had received his "hit list" of demons from the information brokers, and he immediate course of action was to start hunting down those demons in the alliance, starting with the one whose location was closest, which unfortunately was still pretty far away. He had been forced to trick the cashier with counterfeit money again, but he had taken the train northwest as close to his destination at possible. Apparently, there was a major demon hiding out in abandoned mansion in the countryside, so the train could only take him part of the way. After hopping off the train, he traveled down the dirt roads connecting the scattered towns and villages, until he was able to hitch a ride from a kind farmer on the back of his truck. Finally, he reached the point where his path diverged from the farmer's, so after thanking him, Gilbert continued the journey on his own for a while. To take a short cut, Gilbert had decided to cut through some woods rather than traveling around them. He was in the midst of the tranquil trees long after the sun went down, so he figured he had better call it a day and conserve his strength if he was going to fight a demon the next day. After finding a suitable tree, he climbed up to the highest branch that could support his weight while Gilbird rode on his head. Then the albino leaned against the trunk and made himself comfortable before dozing off to sleep.

It was probably about 5 a.m. when Gilbert heard the rustling of bushes and the snapping of twigs under feet. He quickly shook himself awake, and his muscles tensed. Whatever it was, it was heading his way. The sun had yet to rise, and he could barely see in the dark cover of the woods. If it was a demon, he would be at a serious disadvantage, and there was no way he could hide in the tree, especially if the demon could see souls. Swiftly but silently, he got down from the tree, cautiously taking a look around, deciding what weapon to make.

That's when a familiar figure stepped out into view.

"Hey Gil, it's just me," Alfred grinned, though his expression seemed ambivalent, almost as if he were a bit nervous.

"Alfred?" Gilbert blinked, surprised, "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"After you escaped, I got an assignment to bring you back," Alfred explained, but Gilbert narrowed his eyes.

"Bring me back?" he repeated skeptically, "Then what? Execute me?"

"No, we don't want to kill you," Alfred rebuked seriously, "Just come back with me!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't go back there," Gilbert shook his head, "I won't let them just lock me up again. There's...some important things I have to take care of before I can die. Not that I'm planning on dying in the first place." Then it hit him. "Wait...the Academy gave you an assignment to take me back? That's it?"

"What do you mean?" Alfred frowned, confused.

"Assignments normally involve slaying the target," he said bluntly, voice growing even more solemn, "And I was scheduled to die anyway..."

"I-I just want to talk, all right? Can't we just talk?" Alfred stammered, and Gilbert realized that his suspicions were correct as Alfred continued to blunder, "So maybe the assignment was to kill you, but-"

That was all Gilbert needed to hear. Turning on his heels abruptly, the albino whirled around and dashed away in the opposite direction as fast as he could, leaving Alfred still in mid-sentence. He couldn't afford to let him take him back to the Academy, not when the demon invasion was drawing so close, but he didn't want to fight the American either, so his only choice was to get out of there quickly.

Meanwhile, Alfred sighed. "Wow, that came out wrong, didn't it?" he muttered irritably to himself. "Man, guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

* * *

From the Author: Glad I got around to updating this today! :D

Maria is the Philippines, Neeraja is India, Carlos is Mexico, Michelle is Seychelles

Finally reached this part in the plot! I hope you all are enjoying the story so far, and I appreciated all the reviews and favs~ While you're here, I'd appreciate any thoughts or opinions in a little review ;) I promise that next week's chapter will mix things up a bit with another small surprise...Anyways, thanks so much for reading, and until next chapter!


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: Can't say I own Hetalia. Because I don't.

* * *

Not daring to even risk taking a look behind him, Gilbert tore through the underbrush of the forest, dodging trees as best he could as he dashed through the darkness. Stray branches snagged at his clothes as he ran by, and the chilly air nipped at his skin, but he didn't care. He had to get out of there quick, to lose Alfred as soon as possible. He couldn't be forced back to Academy.

It wasn't that Gilbert thought he couldn't take Alfred; no, he was sure he could handle the American if he really had to, but he didn't have it in him to fight his old classmate, especially if Alfred was going to take his assignment seriously and actually try to capture Gilbert. Too much was at stake to take his chances and try to reason with Alfred, to tell him what he was really up to, because if the American didn't believe him, too much precious time would be wasted; Gilbert was on an extremely tight schedule as it was, with the invasion coming up and all.

With that last thought, he pushed himself to sprint even faster, Gilbird clenching his talons onto his jacket from within his pocket. He was running so fast he almost smacked straight into a tree that popped out of the darkness, but luckily evaded it in time, saving himself some pain and quite a bit of humiliation. But then his luck ran out.

As he continued fleeing from Alfred, he ended up coming to a fairly wide clearing in the middle of the forest, a clearing that was already occupied. Gilbert quickly skidded to a halt in the center of the clearing, tightening his jaw. Kiku and Elizaveta stood in his way, both in fighting stances with hardened expressions, and Kiku even had on hand ready to unsheathe his trademark katana. They must have come here with Alfred, Gilbert realized, and waited here to cut him off, knowing Gilbert was likely to run this way away from Alfred, who had also come into the clearing behind Gilbert, taking away the option of turning around and bolting in the direction he had come.

Gilbert cursed silently. Damn, now what was he going to do? By this point, running away was a crappy idea, now that he knew Kiku was here. The Japanese student could outrun him any day, he was sure. First things first, he had to buy time to think, so he said to all of them, "So the Council sent you three to execute me this morning, huh?"

Elizaveta raised an eyebrow, "No, we're not here to execute you...Alfred, what did you say?"

"Sorry," Alfred remarked with a small chuckle, "It came out wrong. But she's right, Gil, we really don't want to hurt you."

"Hai," Kiku nodded sincerely, though he hand still rested on the hilt of his weapon, "We just want you to come back to the Academy with us."

"Why? So the Council can execute me there instead?" Gilbert refuted, a little acrimoniously.

"It's not like that, Gilbert," Kiku objected ardently, "Antonio told us the truth about your deal with the demon. We won't let the Council kill you. We're on your side."

"My side? The Council knows _I'm_ on the wrong side, whether I want to be or not," Gilbert replied regretfully, "Even you guys know that you can't do anything about it once the Council's made a decision." He still hadn't dropped his guard, and was keenly aware of their movements and shifts in weight. "So I guess you guys have a decision of your own to make. I don't want to fight you, but I won't let you take me back there so easily. I have too many things to do before I die."

"Things to do?" Kiku echoed, narrowing his eyes skeptically, "Things for the demon?"

"No. Not this time," Gilbert said firmly, the determination in his eyes unwavering.

"Then what?" Elizaveta demanded with a frown.

Gilbert hesitated. Should he tell them what he'd learned about the planned invasion of the Academy? Of course he should, this was his opportunity to warn his friends, but he just didn't know where to begin... "Alfred, you remembered what the reapers said about the dark days coming to the Academy soon? Well, they're coming a lot sooner than we thought."

"What? What do you mean?" Alfred blinked, surprised.

Kiku also looked astonished, while Elizaveta was just plain confused. "Reapers?" she repeated.

"It's a long story," Gilbert told her before turning back to Alfred, "The demons are planning something big, just like Nidor said. They're going to try to destroy the Academy."

"What?" Kiku stammered, truly alarmed, "That's impossible, they wouldn't come near the school."

"Yeah, demons know they aren't powerful enough to take down the Academy's demon hunters by themselves," Elizaveta pointed out doubtfully.

"Alone, you're right, no demon would stand a chance, but together, their forces could overwhelm all the hunters," Gilbert rebuked evenly.

"Demons working together?" Kiku was clearly astounded, and so was Elizaveta.

Gilbert nodded grimly. "They've been forming alliances ever since I joined the Academy. I...I knew my master was up to something but I didn't know what, at least, not until yesterday."

"It's true, then?" Alfred balled his fists, "The demons are going to try to overrun the Academy someday soon? When?"

"I don't know when or how exactly just yet," Gilbert told them sullenly, "But I'm going to find out. That's why I can't go back to the school."

"How do we know you're telling the truth? You could know more than you're letting on for all we know," Kiku pointed out cynically, "How do we know you are not helping them? I know that Antonio saw that you made the deal against your will, but that does not erase the fact that you are in service to one."

Gilbert couldn't help but crack a wry yet drained smile. He could always count on Kiku to make calculated decisions, even if he was a little gullible sometimes. "I don't expect you to trust me. I wouldn't if I was you, to be honest. But we don't have much time. The invasion's going to happen soon, really soon. I have to track down some of the major demons in the alliance and find out the details. I can't afford to waste anymore time!" His voice was growing increasingly urgent, and with good reason. The end of the month was approaching fast, and if he didn't get the information soon, the Academy would be doomed.

"Well, I guess that leaves only one option for us then," Elizaveta said, almost casually, as if it were obvious, "We'll have to go with you."

"What?" Gilbert blinked.

"It's the only way to make sure you're telling the truth," she went on matter-of-factly, "You know too much about the Academy. We can't let you roam the country by yourself, especially with your soul belonging to a demon. This way, we can make sure you don't spill our secrets, and we can help save the Academy!"

"Sounds good," Alfred agreed cheerfully. Kiku nodded as well, looking satisfied with that solution. Gilbert, however, was tentative.

"Are you sure?" Gilbert asked reluctantly, "These demons... They won't be like the ones we get on assignments. If I'm going to get information from them, only the more powerful ones will know the details." He was willing to risk his life, but not theirs. Besides, having more people in the group might slow him down.

Kiku nodded, "We have no other choice in the matter."

"Yeah, dude, we're coming along whether you like it or not," Alfred sang happily. Gilbert took a deep breath in defeat.

"Fine. But it's still too dark to travel right now. If you've been up tracking me down, then you three should get some sleep at least, since we might be fighting when the sun comes up. I'll keep watch," Gilbert offered complacently, guessing that they must have been tired. He had just had a good six hours of sleep, so he felt safely recharged, and now that his group had grown larger, someone would have to be up at all times. Demons might overlook one soul, and even if some had found him, Gilbert could have gotten away quickly or easily defended himself, but four demon hunters in one spot sleeping would be just asking for a surprise attack.

"Not by yourself," Kiku waved off, "Someone else will stay up with you."

"Right," Elizaveta agreed, throwing a quasi-suspicious glance at Gilbert. "I'll take the first shift with him."

Gilbert wanted to protest, but seeing their faces, he stopped himself. They didn't trust him yet, he realized, and that trust would have to be re-earned before they could stop being as cautious around him. That was reasonable, he had to admit. Since none of them had planned on bringing camping equipment, Kiku and Alfred had to make do with lying on the soft bed of grass, which wasn't all that bad. There weren't any towns nearby, so it was best that they just get some shut eye here. As the two were drifting off to some well-deserved slumber, Gilbert plopped down on the grassy floor, folding his arms over his chest and staring into the surrounding darkness of the forest. With a slight frown, Elizaveta too sat down, not too close to him, but enough so that they could whisper quietly, as she removed the sword that was strapped to her back and placed it beside her. He had to resist the urge to groan inwardly. There was a reason Elizaveta took first watch with him, and he knew he wasn't going to like it.

They sat there for a good ten minutes in silence, but it was a strained silence. Gilbert could sense that she had a lot running through her mind, but was hesitating to be upfront with him. Finally, he murmured softly, "So the Academy gave this assignment to three hunters instead of two? I guess I should be flattered that they knew I wouldn't be so easy to take down," he chuckled dryly, almost to the point of bitterness, before adding, "But I have to say, that was kind of twisted of them to send _you_ of all hunters to kill me."

Elizaveta responded with a dubious look, "They didn't send me anywhere. I came here because I wanted to come here. To find you. Technically, I'm breaking the Venator demon hunting code by leaving without authorization. You know, Alfred and Kiku are breaking the code too, by disregarding their assignment. That could be grounds for expulsion."

"Then why come find me? And why not just kill me like they want you to?" Gilbert uttered, clenching his fists at his side. He was evidently frustrated; how could he not be at this point? What was more, he couldn't understand why his classmates would go to such lengths to help him. Didn't they all want him dead? Why didn't they hate him? Because he was sure as hell he hated himself.

"I came here to finally get answers, to get the truth from you, not kill you," Elizaveta rolled her eyes, then considered him seriously. "I couldn't just sit back at the Academy and do nothing. I had to find you, because I have to know if...everything between us was real, or if it was all part of your cover." Her green eyes gazed into Gilbert's red ones intently, demanding the truth, but for a moment, Gilbert didn't answer. When another moment passed, and he still didn't say a word, she gritted her teeth, "So it was all a lie then? You were just acting when you trained me in the woods all those times, when promised to get me into Class A, when you _kissed_ me?" Her expression hardened, and her voice never wavered as she spoke with that fierce look in her eyes.

"Of course it was real!" Gilbert burst out, unable to contain himself, then dropped his voice down again. "Every second I was with you, it was all real. I care about you, a lot, so much that it scares me sometimes. Ever since I was nine, nothing in my life was ever been of my own free will, until I met you! The times I was with you were the only times that were absolutely real! But...but it might as well have been a lie."

"Excuse me?"

"Lizzie...The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but I don't think I can ever truly love you," Gilbert forced himself to say, lowering his gaze to the ground sullenly, "When...when you fall in love with someone, you're supposed to give your heart and soul to them, but how can I give you my soul when it doesn't belong to me?"

"Gilbert..." she murmured sadly, shifting closer to him so that they were only inches apart. Gently, she placed her hand on his, and said, "You don't know how much it hurt to find out that you weren't who you said you were." He flinched when he heard this, but she continued, "I was so angry and confused, and I thought that I had fallen for the wrong person, for someone who didn't exist. Antonio told us the real reason you sealed your soul away, and what you had to go through to protect your brother. Now I realize that the person I fell in love with really does exist!"

"Don't say that, Lizzie," Gilbert shook his head, struggling to keep a steady voice, "I'm the wrong person. There's nothing I can do but drag you down with me. Don't you see, I'm bound to a demon for eternity. I don't know where I'm headed but I do know that you don't want to follow me there."

Elizaveta surprised him then, when she grinned at him defiantly, "What you did for your brother...it was the bravest thing I've ever heard of. I'd gladly follow someone that brave straight through hell and back."

Then she leaned in and kissed him tenderly. His soul enlivened and rejuvenated, he kissed back affectionately as she laced her fingers with his. Gilbert couldn't explain why, but in that moment, his soul actually felt like his own again, for the first time in a long time, almost as if it were pure once again.

When they broke apart, Elizaveta smiled and rested her head on his shoulder gingerly. "We'll find a way to free your soul, I promise we will. I'm not giving up on us just yet." As she spoke, Gilbert could tell that drowsiness was creeping over her. She must have been exhausted, after hunting him down for the past two days. So when she did doze off, Gilbert didn't bother waking her, and instead remained lookout by himself, though he didn't mind at all really.

For a while, his thoughts lingered on her last words. There was a cloud of guilt that hung over him that he couldn't seem to dismiss. A part of him even wished that Elizaveta had never liked him. It wasn't fair for her, he knew that all too well. "_Us,_" she had said. But Gilbert also knew that because of the soul deal, he and Elizaveta could never have a future together.

* * *

Elizaveta, Kiku, and Alfred were initially a bit irked with Gilbert, since the albino had kept watch for four hours straight by himself without awaking any of them. And the only reason the three woke up eventually was because the sun had risen. "Why didn't you wake me up?" Kiku asked, bewildered, "Aren't you sleepy now?"

"Nah," Gilbert chuckled, "I already got six hours, and that's more than enough. I'm pretty used to staying up past my bedtime, sneaking around at night because...well, you know."

At this Kiku frowned, but then moved on with a sigh, "Okay then, fine. Now that the sun is out, where is our next destination?"

"The mansion where the nearest demon on the list is hiding is actually only a couple of hours away on foot. Since it's daytime, maybe it won't be as strong," Gilbert informed them.

"Alright," Elizaveta nodded, "Let's starting moving then, and you can tell us more about the demon on the way."

Since there was nothing to be packed, the four quickly began making their way out of the forest as Gilbert spoke, "There's not much more to tell, really, besides the name. According to the information brokers, it's name is Orexis."

"Oh, I've heard of him," Alfred nodded, "Orexis means...um, I forget." He scratched his head, trying to recall the Latin translation.

"It means longing, or appetite. Those are the closest meanings," Kiku explained darkly. "A major demon...There must be more to his description, but I can't remember what..."

"Too bad Karpusi isn't here to brief us," Gilbert frowned. "Guess we'll have to wing it then."

"I'm not worried," Alfred announced eagerly, "I'm the hero, after all!"

Not long after, they reached the end of the forest, leading out into an expanse of small, rolling hills, dotted with trees. Gilbert headed the group, and they proceeded making the journey through the road-less hills, which eventually leveled out into a dry valley, with little vegetation in sight, save low shrubs and yellow grass. Finally, they came across a single dirt road passing right through the heart of the valley, though it was empty, as if it had been a while since it had been used.

"So how exactly did you guys find me?" Gilbert asked casually as they followed the vacant road. So far, conversation had been at a minimum, everyone mentally preparing for their confrontation with the major demon, but for Gilbert, silence was getting old. "I covered up any hints of a trail as best I could so I couldn't be followed."

"It doesn't matter whether you leave a trail or not," Alfred laughed, "Because either way Kiku will find you as long as you're in the region."

"Hai," Kiku nodded humbly, "My soul skill not only allows me to see souls, but I can track them as well, so long as they're within my range. The only problem was catching up to you since you were moving about so quickly."

"Hey, look!" Elizaveta said, pointing up ahead. Just about a mile away, the yellow grass transformed into a large, lush green lawn, with neatly trimmed hedges and rose bushes, along with a couple of fruit trees. In the middle of the valley, it was like some sort of oasis, inviting them to come and rest. As the group drew nearer, they could make out the shape of an enormous mansion between the trees. It almost resembled something of a luxurious inn, except more stately, surrounded by an iron wrought gate with intricate metal designs, vines of ivy snaking up the walls. When the four arrived in front, they saw that the gates were already wide open, welcoming them readily.

"It's so...out of place," Elizaveta tilted her head curiously. "It doesn't fit with the rest of the valley."

"Hmm...reminds me of a RPG game I once played," Alfred pondered, taking a good look at the mansion's lavish features. "There's a big mansion, but nobody lives inside except for a scary monster that locks you inside and comes out of nowhere, chasing you all around the mansion trying to kill you. I can't remember how it ends, but I'm pretty sure a lot of people died."

"You play way too much video games," Gilbert gave him a sideways grin.

"I remember now," Kiku said suddenly, upon seeing the mansion, "Orexis lures hungry and weary travelers into his estate and then eats their souls once they're inside. I can't believe I didn't remember that sooner."

Alfred was about to say something, when out of nowhere there was a loud _CRASH!_ that resounded from within the mansion, like large amounts of glass shattering, followed by a distinct _THWUMP!_ seconds after, as if something had slammed into the wall with considerable force. Gilbird frantically fluttered out of Gilbert's pocket, startled by the sudden noise. Gilbert and Alfred exchanged glances, before taking off, dashing up the front steps and yanking the double doors open, with Kiku and Elizaveta on their heels. It opened up into a ostentatious foyer with marble tiles and two extravagant stairways leading to the second floor, each decked out with red carpet, which all would have looked really nice, if it weren't for the smashed chandelier scattered across the floor and the evident claw marks scraped along the walls. There were even a few drops of blood staining the tiles.

The double doors opposite the entrance were wide open, swinging on one hinge as if they had been rammed through with incredible force somehow. Without anymore hesitation, the four immediately dashed through to find themselves in what appeared to be a ballroom. The piano to the left of the doorway was split in two, like it had collapsed after being hit, but that was the least of Gilbert's worries at the moment. Across the ballroom, which was littered with more shards of glass and cracks throughout the marble flooring, stood an massive creature, at least the size of a double-decker bus, possibly larger. The front half of the demon's body resembled a fearsome lion, complete with a mane and sharp teeth, while the rear end was more like a goat's body with hoofs for hind legs instead of paws like its front legs. What was stranger, a goat's head protruded out next to the lion's, and Gilbert at first thought it was a two-headed monster, until he saw that its tail was no ordinary appendage. Instead, there was a serpent that barred its venomous fangs viciously.

"Chimera," Kiku muttered, gritting his teeth.

The beast itself was so eccentric that they almost missed the two other people in the room with the demon. Lucky for them, the chimera was too busy snarling at the two demon hunters already fighting it. A familiar blonde-haired, green-eyed hunter was in the middle of unleashing a deadly blast of radiant green light at the demon, which quickly dodge the attack, and the energy balls gave a loud _bang_! as it struck the opposite wall instead, going out with a crackling fizzle. As the monster was evading the soul skill, the second hunter, another recognizable face with his long, dark hair tied into a loose ponytail, lunged at the chimera, brandishing his own unique jian sword. His attack was cut short however, when the demon lashed out with his front claws, forcing the hunter to jump back out of reach to avoid being slashed to death.

"Arthur? Yao?" Alfred called out dubiously, his mouth hanging open.

Blinking in astonishment, Arthur turned towards them, as did Yao and the demon. "Alfred? What are you guys doing here?!" The Brit looked terrible; there was a bleeding gash on his right arm, and his clothes were riddled in small cuts. Sweat beaded his forehead, and there was a tiny bit of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"I was going to ask the same thing," Gilbert scoffed, still in a state of surprise.

"Gilbert?! You're here!" Yao said incredulously, though still in a fighting stance. "How-what-when...?" The Chinese student looked slightly better off than Arthur, but not by much. He, too, was covered in small cuts, and there was a minor slash across his cheekbone.

"Never mind that," Arthur rolled his eyes at his partner, then said to Alfred, "We're here to bloody finish our damn assignment, what does it look like? But that doesn't explain why the bloody hell you four are here!"

"Hey! Don't forget about me!" the lion head roared irately, flashing its canines. "You demon hunters already destroyed my mansion, and now you're going to ignore me?! Your souls better be tasty for all the trouble I'm going through dealing with you brats." The chimera turned its goat head and its lion head toward the four that stood by the open doorway. "More demon hunters? That makes six souls in all...well, I suppose that's worth cleaning up the place once I have a full stomach. And I suppose another introduction is in order for you newcomers. I am the demon Orexis, and if you were mundane, I would have waited and hid until you entered the dining hall looking for something to eat in my mansion, then taken your souls when you least expected it. But since you're not mundane...I'll just eat your souls here!"

"Look, we can sort this out later," Arthur told Alfred indifferently, ignoring the demon out of spite, "Let's take care of this first."

"Right," Alfred grinned, his hands beginning to give off that faint bluish glow.

"Human scum!" Orexis thundered angrily, "I'll tear-" But Yao wasn't going to wait for him to finish. Instead, he leapt up, sword ready to slice the demon through its heart. However, just before he could land the blow, the serpent-tail checked his strike, blocking the blade with its armor-like scales, the force of impact reverberating the sword and sending Yao tumbling back.

Before the chimera could make another move, Alfred surged forward, armed with nothing but his fists and half-reaper strength, and Gilbert followed suit, summoning a long bronze shaft to his grasp, equipped with a pointed metal spearhead at one end. It was six hunters against a three-headed monster. Gilbert smirked to himself. Piece of cake.

But as Alfred pressed forward to barrage Orexis with his own two fists, the chimera swiftly evaded him altogether, moving with speed that clearly outmatched a cheetah and using the width of the ballroom to his advantage, then swiped his large paw with his claws extended. Gilbert was watching the American's back, fortunately, and held its paw at bay with the shaft of his spear. Meanwhile, Kiku and Elizaveta engaged the other end of the chimera with their blades, both of them rolling out of the way as the serpent's head shot out to snatch them with its fangs.

However, it was hard for any of them to land a crippling blow on the demon, since it was moving around the room without halting for more than a couple of seconds. Even Arthur was having a difficult time aiming his soul blasts, while making sure not to hit any of his fellow hunters. That's when Gilbert realized this one going to be one of those battles that required every ounce of his instincts to be anticipating the demon's next move. It was one of those battles where the course was always changing; one moment he was fending off the lion's jaws side by side with Alfred, the next he was shifting out of the way for Arthur to try another shot, and then he was fighting the serpent with Kiku and Yao as the chimera kept changing positions.

Finally, Alfred was able to pull it off, sagely avoiding the lion head and colliding his soul-powered punch into the goat's face, throwing the chimera off balance. As the monster stumbled sideways, Arthur didn't waste his opportunity; he discharged another two energy balls from his palms, which blasted the demon back with a _bang_! As Orexis shuddered in recovery, getting up from the floor, Gilbert, Kiku, Elizaveta, and Yao knew it was their turn. This was probably going to be their only chance to get close enough to use their blades and deliver the final blow.

The four of them darted forward, but before they could get to the demon, all three of its heads looked up, and each pair of its eyes was glowing red. Suddenly, Gilbert stopped in his tracks, though he had no intention of doing so. It was as if his legs had just frozen up on him, and when he glanced on either side of him, Elizaveta, Kiku, and Yao had all halted as well.

"Dude! I can't move my legs!" Alfred yelped in a panicky voice, struggling to take a step forward.

"Me neither," Yao griped, clenching his jaw.

Gilbert cursed as he too tried to take a step, but found to his dismay that he couldn't. He hated it when demons used their weird powers like this! It was totally cheating! "You coward! Let us go!" Gilbert shouted furiously, glowering at the chimera.

"Now why would I do that?" the lion head chuckled menacingly. "If you want to move so badly, then free yourselves!"

"Free ourselves?" Kiku repeated, narrowing his eyes.

"Of course. Perhaps if you humans didn't _crave_ anything, you could move again," the chimera laughed.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" Elizaveta demanded crossly.

"I am the major demon of longing, of yearning, of want. I can see your most desperate desires, and such craving immobilizes you," Orexis cackled. "My, my, all of you have some very peculiar desires." The chimera casually stretched out again, knowing it had all the time in the world, then leisurely made its way to Elizaveta, until its lion jaw was only inches from her face, so close that she could feel its breath on her cheeks. "You, for example, long to be better than those who rank higher than you. You wish to improve your skills and place yourself at the top, an unrelenting strive for self improvement. Not an uncommon wish, but I can also see what impedes you. Your dream is a foolish one; you are simply not strong enough to compete with your superiors. You're weak and pathetic and-"

"Just shut up! You're a liar and you're wrong about her!" Gilbert burst out, enraged, grinding his teeth.

"Am I?" Orexis mused, turning toward the albino curiously, "And what about you...! How strange...you yearn for freedom, but freedom from what, I wonder...Your soul, it's unlike anything I've ever seen before." The chimera circled Gilbert suspiciously, all three heads intently gazing through him. Abruptly, the monster stopped and paused for a moment, before tensing and glaring at Gilbert face to face with those red feline eyes. "Could it be...a soul deal? You...you're that demon hunter! You're Illedris's servant! Why is it that you come here to kill me?! The next time I see that she demon I'm going to tell her about this! You crave freedom from your deal, and you seek to save your friends from your master's wrath. You are a traitor to both sides, demon hunter, and neither side will ever accept you! You shall never find peace. Not even when you die. Your soul will burn for all eternity in the Underworld for going against your master's wishes."

Gilbert couldn't find it in him to speak. His eyes were wide as the demon spelled out his future, his inevitable, immutable fate. And there was no denying it. No matter how this played out, there was no escaping the soul deal, and his torment in the Underworld. Every word the chimera spoke was true.

"Don't listen to him Gil," Yao protested, "That's not going to happen. We won't let that happen to you! We'll kill this demon before it can tell anyone that you were here!"

Now Orexis growled and encircled Yao with infuriated eyes. "Say what you will, there's no saving your so-called friend from his fate. But your desire is just as hopeless!" The demon let out a cruel laugh from all three heads. "You would do anything to see your dear brother awake again. Ah, but his soul is missing, isn't it? And whose fault is that?" At this, Yao blanched, his shoulders trembling. "Yes, that's right, hunter. It's all your fault! You were supposed to be his partner that day, but you let his soul vanish in your helplessness! It was your duty as his big brother to protect him, but you failed. And now his soul is lost, and you can do nothing to save him."

"That's not true, Yao! It wasn't your fault!" Gilbert argued, practically yelling, "The demon's lying! He's using your doubts against you!" He tried to move his feet again, but they wouldn't budge. What the hell!

"Gilbert's right," Kiku said ardently, "Tao wouldn't want you to blame yourself. He wouldn't want you to give in to the demon's power!"

"Yeah, so don't believe any of it," Alfred called, "We're going to find your brother one day, I know it!"

"Be quiet!" Orexis bellowed, this time his attention shifted to Alfred. "Another interesting soul. Powerful...but filled with craving."

"You're wrong! I don't have any desires that you can use against me," Alfred refuted, smirking into the lion's face.

"Quite the contrary," the chimera leered. "You want to be even more powerful, to get even stronger than you are now. But most of all, you want to know who killed your father. You crave revenge. You've been alone all your life, and now you want to know whose fault that is. Your desire for revenge corrupts your soul, it consumes your-"

To everyone else's astonishment, Alfred burst out laughing, as if he had heard something extremely hilarious. The demon looked taken aback, and blinked in confusion. "O-okay," Alfred said, still catching his breath from laughing so hard, "Now I _know_ for a fact that you're lying, dude. Yeah, I want to know who killed my dad, but who wouldn't want to know? And yeah, so maybe I kind of want a little revenge, but who said that corrupts me? I know it must have been a demon who killed him, a demon like you. My revenge is what drives me to be a better demon hunter! To get my revenge, I'm going to have to become stronger, because that demon has to be pretty powerful, if it killed him. It doesn't consume me, not like that. I know that you were lying this whole time. You're the demon of longing, so you can only see what I want, but you can't see what it means to me. I'm going to destroy the demon who killed my dad, like I'm going to destroy you."

"Why you!" Orexis roared, uncontrollably angry, "You'll pay for your insolence!" The chimera's muscles tensed once more, and the demon barred its sharp teeth at Alfred, who was still frozen in place, unable to defend himself. The chimera was about ready to pounce on its prey, snarling, "_Die_!"

"NO!" Gilbert cried out helplessly.

"Alfred!" Kiku tried desperately to move, but couldn't even lift his foot.

Time seemed to slow down all at once, and just as the demon was about the pounce, the chimera noticed the hunter out of the corner of its eye. Arthur had both hands outstretched, each palm forming a bright green orb of pure soul energy, to stop the demon from taking Alfred's life. But a split second before Arthur was ready to discharge his energy, the demon smirked.

"Too slow," the lion head cackled.

The serpent lashed out with incomprehensible alacrity, so fast none of the hunters saw it coming. Its venomous fangs sank deep into Arthur's midsection. His eyes widened terrifyingly, and he coughed out blood that splattered on the marble floor as the serpent lifted him a few feet into the air and then threw him back down to the ground. After a nauseatingly dreadful moment, Arthur did not move. He was sprawled out on his back, eyes closed, a pool of scarlet forming quickly around his limp body and seeping into his clothes around his wounds.

Alfred watched in petrified horror, hysterical. "_ARTHUR_!"

* * *

From the Author: Well, what can I say? I was feeling particularly evil when I typed this up...? ;)

Anyways, thanks a million for reading, following, faving, and reviewing! All reviews are greatly appreciated, so while you're here, maybe drop one off if its not too much to ask? I'd love to hear any thoughts and opinions! :) Thanks again and until next chapter!


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own what is not mine. Which includes Hetalia.

* * *

Gilbert could only watch in overwhelming horror, as his fellow hunter's blood continued to spread across the ballroom floor. "_NO_!" he shouted, but he still could not break the demon's spell. His heart practically stopped and his ears rang terribly. Elizaveta, Yao, and Kiku seemed to be in the same state of grievous shock and hopelessness.

"That was so refreshing," Orexis laughed sinisterly, "I haven't killed a hunter in years!" Its serpent's head was dripping with the crimson blood of its victim, flicking its forked tongue in cruel satisfaction.

"_ARTHUR_!" Alfred called again, voice shrill and desperate, but there was no response from his lifeless body. Then Alfred turned to the demon, who continued laughing triumphantly. "You bastard! I'll kill you!" His arms began to glow faintly, until in a matter of seconds, his hands were giving off a luminescent light, his whole body trembling as raw energy surged forth from within his mighty soul.

Orexis took a step back, confused and astonished, staring at Alfred with three pairs of wide eyes. "What-what is this?! Who...what are you?!"

Gilbert could feel the massive amount of power emanating from Alfred's body as the light grew brighter. Out of nowhere, gusts of wind swirled around the ballroom, circling the reaper's child.

"A-Alfred..." Kiku stammered, awestruck.

"Kiku, what's going on?" Gilbert yelled over the raging wind.

"His soul, it's energy has increased exponentially! I don't know where all that power came from!" Kiku called back, eyes focused on his friend's soul.

"He must be pulling energy out from behind his seal," Gilbert told him, recalling what Paulette and Vladmir told them about Alfred's peculiar soul situation. But he also remembered what they said would happen if Alfred unleashed all his power at once. "Alfred!" Gilbert called, "Not too much! If the seal breaks, you'll die!"

But the American wasn't paying him any attention. Instead, he dashed forward at Orexis, who screeched, "No! How can you move?!" Then Alfred was slamming his fist into the side of the lion's jaw, sending the monster lurching into the wall beside it. As soon as Alfred made contact with the demon, Gilbert found he could move again. Without wasting another second, he summoned a double-edge sword to his palm and raced forward. "Alfred, Yao, go to Arthur! We'll hold him off!"

"Right," Yao nodded, and now that he could use his feet again, he rushed over to his fallen partner. Alfred seemed torn between fighting the demon or going to his friend, but in a fraction of a second he let go of his anger and followed Yao as Elizaveta and Kiku supported Gilbert.

Yao was already kneeling beside Arthur's body in his blood, placing one hand above his heart and the other on his forehead.

"Please, please wake up," Alfred pleaded, shoulders shaking uncontrollably. "You can heal him, right Yao?"

But when Alfred glanced up, he saw a tear fall from Yao's cheek. "There's no pulse," Yao whispered, devastated, voice cracking. "He's gone..."

"What?! No, that can't be!" Alfred cried, "He's stronger than that, I know he is! You have to heal him!"

"I'm sorry," Yao's breath hitched, "There's nothing I can do. He's dead, Alfred."

"No, no, no!" Alfred slammed his fist on the marble floor in rage and anguish, tears streaming down his cheeks. "He can't die...he just can't..." He glanced down at Arthur's listless face, his eyes closed, covered in blood. It wasn't fair! Why?! Why did this have to happen?! Arthur...his dear friend...

That's when he saw it. At first he thought he was seeing things, but then he realized what it was. A radiant orb of pure light a little bigger than his hand appeared out of Arthur's bloodied chest and very slowly began to rise up, leaving his body altogether. "Y-Yao, do you see that?" Alfred murmured, his expression unreadable.

"See what?" Yao bit his lip, regarding Alfred with clear concern, a bit frightened for him. "What do you see?"

"That's...his soul," Alfred whispered.

"You can see it?" Yao asked incredulously. Instead of responding, Alfred reached up, not even thinking about what he was doing, as if in a trance. The soul seemed to be almost struggling against the unseen force that was pulling it upward, almost as if trying to get back to his body.

"He's fighting it, Yao! He doesn't want to die yet," Alfred exclaimed, somewhat insanely, as he grabbed hold of the glowing orb with both hands gingerly.

It suddenly became visible as soon as Alfred took the soul in his hands, catching Yao so off guard that he flinched when he saw it. "Alfred, what are you doing?! Is that Arthur's soul? Why are you holding it?! How-how are you holding it?!"

"I...I don't know," Alfred murmured, his gaze held by the sphere of light in his palms. It gave off a strange warmth that made him feel cozy for some reason, but he also knew how fragile it was; it was Arthur's life essence, it was the very thing that made Arthur who he was. Without its energy, Arthur could never exist to be the person Alfred knew so well. It was this small orb that made humans so special, that allowed them to feel all sorts of emotions, good and bad. And it was everything.

Meanwhile, Gilbert, Kiku, and Elizaveta were fending off the three-headed monster, practically fighting one head each. Alfred's last attack on the chimera had really slowed it down, fortunately for them. While Elizaveta attacked the goat, and it was a really tough goat to be honest, Kiku fought the lion's head with his katana and Gilbert had the task of killing the serpent, with its virtually invincible scales and poisonous teeth. After three strikes bounced off its reptilian armor, Gilbert realized his sword was useless, and would need a new plan of attack. So he dissolved his sword and instead manifested a hefty sledge hammer. If he couldn't slice the giant snake, then maybe he could try bashing its brains in.

And his idea proved to be a good one. The serpent hissed viciously before lunging forth to sink its fangs into its next victim, and Gilbert stubbornly stayed in his place, taking a stance that a baseball player would when up to bat, except with an enormous hammer. His timing had to be absolutely flawless, or he would be finished. He waited for just the right moment, then swung his weapon with all his might. It was a heavy hammer, but Gilbert swung with just the right amount of force to send the snake head whipping sideways with a screech as the blunt face of the hammer collided with the side of its mouth.

As Gilbert straightened up, he glanced over to see that Kiku was now facing the goat while Elizaveta was up against the lion; they must have switched opponents somehow. But Gilbert could clearly see that something was wrong with Elizaveta. Her movements were jerky, rather than fluid and smooth like he had taught her. The lion was clearly overtaking her as she frantically blocked with her sword to keep from being eaten alive. Then the monster slashed at her with his large claws, and she barely had enough time to stop them from piercing her with her sword, but she was knocked off balance and fell backwards. The lion, seizing its chance, attacked, its canine teeth ready to kill.

"Lizzie!" Gilbert called, and used every ounce of his strength to push his speed to limit as soon as he saw her fall. At the very last moment, he slid before her, placing himself between her and the demon as it lunged. With his demon hunter reflexes, he instinctively held out his only weapon, and the lion's jaws clamped down on sides of the hammer, rather than his flesh.

Angered, the lion ripped the hammer right out of Gilbert's hands with its teeth and flung it aside, the weapon turning to dust as it sailed through the air. This time he was defenseless, and the lion snarled as prepared to pounce on the albino again, but just before it could, Kiku drove his katana into the underside of the demon's belly, slicing upward and avoiding the goat's snaps. The chimera as a whole recoiled in pain, jumping back before Kiku could slay it entirely.

"Lizzie, are you okay?" Gilbert panted, turning to face her. She was still sitting up on the floor, fear plain in her wild eyes, breathing heavily.

"I-I can't do this, it's too strong, too fast," she shuddered, a bit panicky.

Brusquely, Gilbert grabbed her by the shoulders, and looked her right in the eyes, "Don't be like that! You can do this! After a month of training, I know you're ready! You wanted to get into Class A, right? Well, this is a Class A assignment! So snap out of it, and be the kick-ass warrior that you are! Don't tell me after all this time, you're going to just back out now-"

Suddenly, Elizaveta's eyes widened, looking past him, and she shoved Gilbert out of the way roughly, shouting, "Look out!" Then, in one swift motion, she grabbed her sword and leapt to her feet as the serpent plunged toward her, brandishing its fangs with a hiss. Just before those fangs could touch her, she dove out of the way, and the snake's head crashed into the marble floor. Scrambling back on her feet, Elizaveta didn't give the monster a second to recover. Immediately, she brought her sword up and drove its blade into the serpent's eye, effectively blinding the snake in one eye before pulling it back out, blood dripping from the blade. The serpent threw its head back into the air, shrieking ruggedly.

At first, Gilbert was stunned, but then he cracked a knowing grin, "Atta girl!"

Elizaveta smiled back gratefully, "Thanks, Gil." Then Gilbert summoned another sword and the two charged the demon once again, this time aiming to finish it off.

As they fought, Yao was still having trouble believing what was happening right in front of him. "Alfred, you have to let his soul depart for the afterlife! You can't keep him here. You have to let him go."

"B-but...I don't want him to leave us so soon!" Alfred quivered, caught in nerve-racking indecision. He knew deep down that Yao was right; the dead must pass out of the mortal world, but Alfred couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, he could still save Arthur! "What if...what if I put his soul back into his body?"

"The anchor has been cut clean through," Yao said softly, "His soul won't take hold."

Again, Yao was right, but even still, Alfred had the undeniable feeling tugging at the back of his mind that he could do something. Then he spoke without thinking, as soon as the thought came to him, "I can...I can mend his anchor."

"What? How? Not even I can heal a broken anchor," Yao replied, shocked.

"I don't know how, but I can't just let Arthur go!" Alfred exclaimed, staring at the luminous, sun-like sphere in his palms, desperately tearing himself apart on the inside.

Gilbert heard him, and since Elizaveta had been so much better since their little talk, he risked a glance back at Yao and Alfred. He was astounded to see what was in Alfred's hands, but quickly realized what was going on. "Hey, Alfred!" he called, voice firm and confident. "Remember what you told Paulette when she told you about your true power? You said that your friends were what you cared about most. Aren't you always calling yourself the hero?"

"Y-yeah, but-"

"Then stop thinking about it already!" Gilbert continued ardently, "I don't believe for a second that you were given your reaper powers for nothing. Don't you dare waste them! If you really believe you can bring him back, then do it!"

Alfred blinked, then flashed Gilbert that trademark grin of his as a thanks. "You got it, dude!"

"Save our rep, you hear?" Gilbert grinned back, before turning back to the chimera.

Alfred turned to Yao, "I'm going to try to fix the anchor once I put his soul back into his body. I'm not entirely sure how, but hopefully my reaper-ness will know what to do! Just leave it to me. But I'm going to need you to heal him as I anchor it." He glanced down at Arthur's fatally wounded body, then back up, "Can you do that?"

Setting his lips straight, Yao nodded back, "Of course, aru. My curse isn't going to end just yet."

"Good, all right, here goes nothing," Alfred murmured, and carefully began to push Arthur's soul back into his body, right where his heart would be. His soul easily fazed through his flesh until it was no longer visible. Softly, Alfred then pressed down on that same spot on Arthur's chest, as Yao placed one hand above his heart and one hand above his forehead.

After taking a deep breath and clearing his thoughts, Alfred closed his eyes, focusing on nothing but the soul in front of him. At first, he was surrounded by nothing but darkness, until the bright soul materialized before him, hovering steadily. Cautiously, he reached out and gently touched the brilliant orb, unsure of what else to do. Its light intensified significantly, before it transformed into something else. Now Alfred felt as if he were the one floating in the nothingness, and the end of a long, thick, glowing rope dangled in front of him. Its tip was serrated, as if it had been torn violently by a jagged knife. He frowned in confusion, before glancing down below him to see another cord of the same radiance that seemed to be rising up, trying to reach the other end, but couldn't. The two cords stretched in either direction endlessly, as far as Alfred could see through the darkness, and finally it dawned on him. Arthur's anchor. Now all he had to do was bring the severed cord back together...

Elizaveta sidestepped as the jaws of the serpent snapped at her once more, then thrust her sword into the snake's other eyes, blinding it. The serpent let out another ear-piercing shriek, thrashing its head about sporadically, and Elizaveta smiled in triumph. Meanwhile, Gilbert rolled out of the way as the lion attempted to catch him with its jaws then with its claws. As he moved, Gilbert slashed the chimera's knee with his blade. The monster let out agonized roar, reeling sideways as it lost its balance. As Orexis stumbled, Kiku leapt up, using the top of the goat's head as a stepping stone, until he was on top of the chimera. Without a moment's hesitation, he drove his katana into the back, where the two heads met.

All three of Orexis's heads screeched, a raspy, harsh sound, as it began to disintegrate into oblivion, until finally, there was nothing left but dust in the center of the ballroom. Immediately, the three rushed over to Arthur's body, where Alfred knelt with his eyes closed and both hands on Arthur's chest, as Yao held his hands in his healing position. Kiku bit his lip anxiously while Elizaveta practically held her breath and Gilbert watched in utter suspense. Even Gilbird flew over from his hiding spot behind the crushed piano and landed on Gilbert's shoulder solemnly. Yao's soul skill was working beautifully; Arthur's bite wounds were quickly closing up on themselves, as were his cuts. His skin was retaining its usual color, his bruises were disappearing altogether, and soon even the scars were fading away.

Just as the last scar on Arthur's midsection was vanishing, Alfred finally opened his eyes, which were teary. He withdrew his hands and whispered to Yao, "Feel it."

Yao put one hand on Arthur's chest where Alfred's had been, and his eyes widened incredulously. "A...A heartbeat..." he stammered, removing his hand. A second later, all of them could see the steady rise and fall of Arthur's chest, breathing normally.

"He's alive!" Elizaveta exclaimed, overjoyed.

"Al, you did it!" Gilbert whooped, jumping up, unable to contain his excitement.

"Don't cheer just yet," Yao frowned. "We have to make sure he wakes up. How did you fix his anchor?"

"I imagined that it was a long piece of soul rope," Alfred explained, scratching his head, "But it was cut in half. So I took the two ends and tied it back together, like a really, really tight knot."

"A knot? Are you saying it's not completely attached to his body?" Kiku blinked, concerned.

"Don't worry, it's a tight knot like I said. It'll hold," Alfred said, though he didn't seem so sure, even a little doubtful himself, which was unlike him. He was still staring down at his fallen friend's listless face.

There was a pause, and for a tense moment, a moment that seemed to last ages, no one said a word, but just stared along with him. Then finally, Arthur's eyes slowly opened. He blinked a couple of times, and everyone remained silent as his vision returned to normal, and he began to sit up, putting his hand to his forehand and shaking the drowsiness off of himself. "What...what just happened...?" he muttered, disoriented. After rubbing his eyes, he glanced around, puzzled at the apprehensive expressions on his friends' faces. "Why are you all looking at me like that?" he demanded, bewildered.

"Are you...are you okay?" Yao ventured tentatively. "What do you remember?"

"Of course I'm all right," Arthur tilted his head, "Why wouldn't I be...I remember...Oh! That's right, we got the assignment to slay Orexis. And then...and then we went to the mansion, which I guess is right here and then while we were fighting it, Alfred, Gilbert, Kiku, and Elizaveta came out of nowhere. And after that..." Abruptly, Arthur blanched, his memories coming back to him vividly. "Oh, bloody hell...That demon was going to kill Alfred and then I tried to stop it and then..." he trailed off, clenching his jaw, his eyes hazy. "The snake bit me. But...it didn't just bite me, did it?"

"It doesn't matter now," Yao tried, "You're back now and-"

"Don't lie to me!" Arthur interjected, raising his voice, "That wasn't an ordinary wound. What really happened?"

"Artie...I don't know how else to tell you this, but the demon...it killed you," Alfred said softly.

"I died...?" Arthur sputtered, but deep down, he knew it was true. He could feel it somehow. "How am I alive now then?!"

"My reaper powers," he explained, "I used them to mend your anchor and put your soul back in your body while Yao healed you. And it worked!"

"You _what_?!" Arthur exclaimed, "Alfred, do you know how much soul energy something like that uses up? No wonder you look like you're about to pass out!"

"It's cool, dude," he waved off, "I've got a lot of energy to spare, I just got to regenerate it for a little while."

"It is not _cool_," the Brit rebuked hotly, "That was a reckless way to use your energy!" Then he turned to Yao sharply, startling him, "And you! What were you thinking?! Healing me! I thought we agreed that you wouldn't heal any of us that knew about your curse!"

"We never agreed that," Yao shot back stubbornly. "And even if we did, I wouldn't have done anything differently, aru."

"You two are just impossible! I can't believe you guys. That was stupid, and careless, and-and," he struggled to continue as his voice grew shakier with each word, and there were tears welling in his eyes, "And I w-want you to p-promise me, you'll never risk your lives like that f-for me ever again!"

"Aw, c'mon Artie, you know as well as I do, there are some promises demon hunters just can't make," Alfred laughed cheerfully, happy to see his old friend back to normal.

"Y-you wanker," was all the Brit could reply before Alfred trapped him in a big bear hug.

"Welcome back, dude!" he grinned as he pulled back, Arthur wiping the tears from his eyes, muttering about how he hated crying in front of others.

Yao turned to Gilbert, "Now that the demon's gone and Arthur's back, why exactly are you four here?"

"It's kind of a long story," Gilbert sighed, "But we came here to interrogate Orexis, but now..."

"I'm very sorry," Kiku added sheepishly, "I shouldn't have killed the demon so soon."

"It's all right," Gilbert told him, "We were all carried away after Arthur died."

"That sounds so wrong," Arthur shuddered.

"Yeah, if you didn't kill it, Orexis might have killed someone else. Besides, I don't think it would have told us anything anyway," Elizaveta assured.

"At any rate," Yao sighed, "We shouldn't stay here any longer. Even though the demon's gone, this place is still dangerous; this mansion was created by Orexis using warped space to lure travelers. It's unnatural, and it hinders our ability to regenerate our souls, have you noticed?"

"Huh, now that you mention it," Alfred said thoughtfully, "No wonder I'm so tired."

"Hai, we should leave now then," Kiku nodded, sheathing his katana.

"I've been to this region before," Yao added, "If we continue through the valley, there's a place we can rest for a while. It's hidden, so it's completely safe, aru. And you can explain everything that's going on along the way."

"Right," Arthur agreed, picking himself off the floor, "Then let's get going already."

* * *

It took the six of them about another few hours to cross through the valley to the other side, where Yao led them through some scarce woodlands that were largely uninhabited by civilization. Gilbert didn't even know where they were anymore, but trusted Yao to take them to a secure destination. He, Kiku, Elizaveta, and Alfred took turns recounting what the information brokers had told Gilbert, and about the list of demons. Then, Alfred took the liberty of catching Elizaveta up on his peculiar, supernatural heritage. By the time they arrived at the safe house, everyone was finally on the same page.

"Those damn demons," Arthur seethed angrily, "They think they can just waltz right in and take our school?! We'll show them-" He stopped abruptly when Yao came to a halt, his eyes pouring over the familiar house, all by itself way out here.

It appeared to be a very old house, made from the same wood of the surrounding trees, two stories high with an enigmatic aura about it. The house was so well integrated into its spot that it almost seemed like a part of the woods itself, as if rooted into the ground. Apart from the fact it was practically in the middle of nowhere, Gilbert could tell there was something different, something mysterious, so profound that even the air around the house seemed whimsical.

"You know someone who lives here?" Elizaveta asked, taking a good look around, yet seeing no one in sight.

"Yes, he's an old family friend. Before my parents died, they used to take me and Tao here all the time," Yao said nostalgically, though it was clear that thinking about it family at the moment was painful for him. But he quickly regained his composure and made his way up the front porch. "Follow me."

Inside, it was much more homey, most of the furniture also being built from the same trees. There wasn't much actually in the house, and Gilbert also deduced using his awesome brain power that whoever lived here must be leading a simple life or something. There was a nice little kitchen and a fairly small table adjacent to the vestibule, which also contained an arrangement of couches, whose cushions were thankfully not made out of bark but actual cloth. A small fireplace was built into one wall, insulated from the rest of the house with stones lined up perfectly, and along the other walls hung various animal pelts. What really caught Gilbert's attention though, was the large, polished hunting bow displayed over the fireplace, and leaning against the wall was the quiver holding multiple arrows.

"Yao, is that really you?" called someone who had just come down from the flight of stairs, staring at the Chinese student, stunned to see him. Gilbert had been so absorbed by the house, he had completely missed him coming down the stairs.

"Arsian," Yao smiled, elated to see his old friend, shaking his hand good-naturedly, "It's been too long! And these are my friends from the Academy, Kiku, Alfred, Arthur, Gilbert, and Elizaveta." Each of them also shook Arsian's hand as Yao introduced them. The Mongolian had inquisitive golden-brown eyes and long dark hair pulled into a braid down his back, and appeared to be around their age, probably just a few years older. As Gilbert shook his hand, however, he didn't know what to make of him. The albino felt as if the strange vibes were emanating from Arsian, as if he were the source of the place's fanciful aura. "I used to come here a lot with my family," Yao told them, "So I saw a lot of Arsian when we were young. He was practically my childhood training partner."

"We would spar each other first thing every time," Arsian gave Yao a sideways grin, then addressed the group as a whole. "You all look awful. Just complete an assignment?"

"Hai," Kiku nodded, "We are very sorry for bargaining in unexpectedly like this."

"Not a problem," Arsian waved off coolly, "Happens all the time around here. I get all sorts of visitors. I assume you came here to recover?"

Yao nodded, "If that's all right with you."

"Of course," Arsian said casually, "You all look like you could use some rest, and a change of clothes for that matter. There are two vacant bedrooms upstairs, along with a shower that you may all use. There's also some extra clothes in the wardrobes in the rooms. Feel free to pick whatever you like and make yourselves at home."

"Dude, thanks so much!" Alfred cheered, already looking forward to a nice shower and a cat nap.

"Yeah, thank you," Arthur said politely to the Mongolian, "We owe you one." He started going up the stairs, saying, "I'm going to go take a shower now, then."

Suddenly Alfred raced up the stairs past him, laughing, "Not if I beat you there first!"

"Hey! No fair, you wanker!" Arthur called angrily, trying to catch up with him.

"Arigato," Kiku nodded towards Arsian before heading up the stairs himself, deciding that he needed clean clothes and maybe a little sleep, and Elizaveta followed after him with the same intentions after also expressing her gratitude.

"If all the beds are taken, you can go nap on the couch," Yao suggested, directed at Gilbert, who nodded.

"Yeah, sounds good. What about you?"

"Arsian and I have a little catching up to do," Yao halfsmiled. Realizing that the two wanted to talk by themselves, Gilbert made his way to the comfy couch and laid down, his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling, then slowly closed his eyes. Gilbird decided to sleep in Gilbert's hair, nesting atop his head. He couldn't really fall asleep, however, and ended up listening in on Yao and Arsian's conversation from the kitchen the next room over. It was hard to hear clearly, since they talked so softly, but Gilbert could make out most of what they were saying.

"I really appreciate you sending all those letters," Arsian said to Yao, "They keep me from getting too lonely out here. If my parents were still alive, I could have enrolled into the Academy with you, but..."

"You have to stay here and watch over this place." Yao finished his sentence sadly, "I know how important it was to your family. I just wish I could visit you more often in person."

"Well, I am glad you stopped by today," Arsian exhaled in relief, "This place has been getting really...strange lately."

"Strange how?"

"Demon activity in the area has been going up. They don't bother me, but I can sense them on the move," Arsian explained.

"That does sound pretty bad," Yao shuddered.

"But they wouldn't dare come here," Arsian shrugged off indifferently, "Even with all you Academy demon hunters resting here. That's quite the company you have, by the way. The Academy has acquired some interesting students, hasn't it? One soul with incredible power, and another shrouded in darkness." His last words had a skeptical edge to them, like he could tell something was going.

Gilbert shifted uneasily. "Shrouded in darkness" was evidently a reference to his soul. He wondered what kind of soul skill Arsian had, if he was able to tell that Gilbert was different right off the bat. He also wondered what it was about this place that repelled demons, by the way the Mongolian talked about it, or if Arsian was just so strong that the demons were too scared to come here.

When Yao didn't answer, Arsian continued, "You do know that the red-eyed one is a tainted soul, right? I hope that's not news to you and the others."

"I know," Yao finally sighed, "It's not news, at least not anymore. But it's not what it looks like, and he's not evil. It's...complicated."

"Isn't everything?" Arsian muttered. Then he spoke up again, even more serious this time, "Has there been any progress with Tao?"

"No," Yao uttered out miserably, "We haven't gotten any closer to finding him since the day I lost him! And...and I don't know what to do...I miss him so much..."

"You just have to keep trying!" Arsian consoled ardently, "He's out there somewhere, and he's waiting for you. You can't give up on him now."

"I won't," Yao took a shaky breath, regaining a steady voice, "I won't stop trying, not until the day I die."

There was a heavy silence for a moment, before Arsian asked, "And what about you? How are you doing?" Gilbert could tell by his tone of voice that there was another implication within that question, but he just didn't want to voice it out loud.

"I'm doing fine," he replied stiffly.

"And your Mark?" Arsian pressed, genuinely concerned.

"Don't worry, it's not complete," Yao answered curtly, "I'll live for the time being." He sounded almost bitter, and Arsian didn't ask any more questions, knowing that Yao really didn't want to talk about that right now.

Instead, he suggested, "Why don't you rest, too? You can have my room for now. You look exhausted from your fight."

Yao muttered something that Gilbert couldn't make out, then heard footsteps as Yao trudged up the stairs. Gilbert lay there for a little while longer, troubled thoughts floating around in his head. There was just so much that was going so wrong all at once. How could they ever fix it all and make everything right again? Was that even possible? Finally, his brain began to hurt, and Gilbert remembered why he hated thinking. He took a deep breath and began to clear his mind, until at last, he drifted off into slumber.

* * *

Gilbert awoke to someone lightly shaking his shoulders. He blinked a couple of times to clear his vision, to see that it was Arsian, with an anxious expression on his face. "I think you should wake up now," he said, a bit urgently.

Nodding, Gilbert yawned and swung his legs over the side of the couch, stretching his arms, and Gilbird, too, woke up. "What's going on?"

Arsian was about to answer, but then Yao hurried down the stairs, followed by Elizaveta, Alfred, Kiku, and Arthur. "Why'd you wake us up?" Alfred asked Yao with a frown.

"Arsian woke me and told me to wake you guys up too, but he didn't say why," Yao replied, worried, then turned to Arsian expectantly.

Suddenly, Gilbird chirped loudly from Gilbert's head in fright, before rushing into Gilbert's pocket to hide. "Huh? What's the matter?" Gilbert asked his little buddy, but the chick just quivered and didn't answer.

Arsian regarded the bird in astonishment, but then shook his head and addressed the others. "Were you followed here? Is there something pursuing you?" he demanded.

"No, not that I know of," Yao blinked, surprised.

"Yeah, we killed Orexis," Elizaveta piped up, "I don't know what else would really be after us at this point."

Kiku glanced over at Gilbert, "Excuse me for jumping to conclusions, but could it be...your demon?"

"I-I don't think so," Gilbert frowned, "Usually I can tell when she's coming..." But now that Gilbert thought about it, Illedris didn't have to let Gilbert know each time she was dropping in for a visit, since she chose whether or not the Mark on his back stung. And if she was near, that would explain Gilbird's weird behavior...

"No...It's not a demon," Arsian shook his head.

"You can tell?" Arthur asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Arsian's soul skill allows him to sense the essences around him, and if you're close enough, he can even determine what your soul skill is and how strong you are," Yao explained.

"This aura...I've never felt so much power heading this way before," Arsian murmured. "They're coming, and coming fast. They'll be here in a matter of moments."

"Whatever it is, we won't let them attack your home!" Arthur assured him confidently.

"Hai, we will repay you for your hospitality," Kiku agreed.

"All right, let's do this!" Gilbert simpered, heading for the door with his fellow demon hunters right behind him. After getting some rest, he felt fully recharged and ready for a fight. As soon as he hopped off the front porch, he summoned a lithe halberd to his hand, twirling it once in excited anticipation. His friends lined up on either side of him, Elizaveta, Kiku, and Yao with their weapons, and Arthur and Alfred with their soul skills, ready to defend the house. Arsian came out as well, armed with his bow and arrows. "They're coming!" he warned, loading an arrow.

Gilbert tensed, but then a split second later, a confused look came over him when he looked up at the night sky, past the trees. As far as he could tell, four miniature shooting stars were streaking towards them at an incredible speed. What the hell was going on? Before Gilbert even got the chance to process that those "stars" were about to crash-land really, really close, and that running or getting out of the way would probably be a good idea, the four entities whizzed past the tallest layer of trees without burning anything up, which was odd, and then struck the ground a couple yards before Gilbert and his friends. The four entities gave off such a bright light, that the demon hunters had to shield their eyes to avoid being blinded right away.

He cursed, knowing that fighting something as bright as this would be nearly impossible, but then the light began to dim down, until it faded enough for Gilbert to look again.

And as soon as he did, his eyes widened.

Gilbert glanced over at Alfred, only to see that he was in a state of overwhelming shock.

Before them stood four individuals, each of them simply radiating power, each of them with grim expressions on their faces, each of them holding glistening scythes.

"Reapers," Arsian gritted his teeth.

One reaper clearly stood out from the rest, having a commanding persona about him, with a stern, austere look. He was a burly figure, with tanned skin and his dark brown hair tied back in dreadlocks, his glare sweeping over the entire group of demon hunters irritably. The scythe he carried seemed to be larger than the ones the other reapers held, its long, curved blade catching the moonlight eerily. Finally, his glower settled on Alfred and Arthur, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Alfred F. Jones," he said with a booming voice, "You have broken one of life's most sacred laws. It is absolutely forbidden to bring the dead back to life. As a reaper, I cannot allow that to slide. The consequences for your actions will be severe. But first..." The reaper focused solely on Arthur, whose jaw tightened, and then continued, "I'll be taking his soul with me."

"T-taking my soul where?" Arthur demanded, though his voice wavered.

The reaper's reply was terse, as if the answer were obvious, "The afterlife, of course. The dead must stay dead."

* * *

From the Author: Heck yes~ Finally reached this point in the plot! I'm so excited for the rest of the story guys, and I hope you are too! I hope all of you are thoroughly enjoying my little fanfic here! :D Anyone want to take a guess who that reaper is? ;)

Arsian is Mongolia BTW.

Thanks so much for all the awesome reviews guys! I appreciate every single word~ Please review, I'd love to hear what you have to say! Thanks again and until next chapter!


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Hetalia belongs to its owner, who is, by the way, not me.

* * *

"The afterlife?" Arthur stammered, "But I'm still alive! I have a heartbeat and everything!"

"Only because of these two," the reaper scoffed, indicating Yao and Alfred. "And such lawlessness is unacceptable. If you do not come with us willingly, I'm afraid we'll have to take your soul by force."

Alfred finally snapped out of his shocked trance, and burst out, "No, I won't let you take him! He's my friend!" He clenched his fists tightly, glaring at the reaper with defiant blue eyes.

"Are you challenging us, boy?" the reaper narrowed his eyes disdainfully. "Unlike you, I am a full-fledged reaper, much more powerful than a mortal human. I don't know how you found out about your half-reaper abilities, but apparently they've made you too cocky."

"I don't care if you're a reaper or not," Alfred maintained firmly, "If you want to kill Arthur again, then you'll have to go through me!"

"Hai, sacred law or not, we cannot sit back while you take our friend's soul," Kiku maintained seriously.

"Alfred...Kiku," Arthur murmured, staring at his fellow hunters incredulously.

As the reaper brandished his scythe wickedly, even Gilbert could tell that they were moments away from a fight, and unfortunately, the reaper was right. Even with the six of them, there was no way demon hunters could hope to match the strength of four armed reapers. Gilbert wasn't even sure if reapers could die. But when the fighting did start, Gilbert also knew that he would stand with his friends until the very end. Still, maybe...maybe there was some way they could escape with Arthur, or drive the reapers away. His red eyes scanned his surroundings, but even if they retreated, they couldn't outrun their superhuman opponents. Gilbert tensed, realizing his only choice was to hold his ground, and instead turned his attention to his adversaries...then he realized that he knew one of them.

He spotted the familiar face standing behind one of the other reapers, as if he were purposefully trying not to be seen by the hunters. Gilbert blinked and frowned, "Vladmir?"

The Romanian reaper flinched when Gilbert called his name, and looked away, pretending not to have heard, but doing a terrible job. The first reaper turned toward him with a stern, questioning look, "Vladmir, do you know this hunter?"

"Well, um," Vladmir flustered, giving him a uneasy smile, "Funny thing is, Juan..."

"Vladmir," the reaper, Juan, said with a warning tone. "Did you break our mandate without telling any of us?"

"Seriously? You're going to discipline me for this?" Vladmir huffed, irritated, "It's not like the rest of you haven't broken the mandate at least once!"

"I haven't," Juan scoffed.

"He's got a point there," one of the other reapers shrugged as he fixed his glasses over his golden eyes, then nonchalantly brushed his dark hair out of his face. "Most of the rest of us broke it at least once."

"Don't defend him, Chao, this is serious business," said another reaper, one with dark skin, a buzz-cut, square glasses, and a burly stature, as he rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I thought you were on my side, Jamar," Vladmir protested. By this point, none of the seven hunters really knew what to say, and just kept quiet, watching the conversation bounce back and forth.

"Stop talking about sides already," Jamar grumbled, "We're all reapers here, aren't we?"

"And yet none of you can ever follow the damn mandate," Juan exasperated, voice saturated in disapproval. "Anyway, we need to get back to the matter at hand!" With that, Juan turned back toward Alfred and Arthur, a fed-up glare on his face. "You can make this a lot easier on yourselves if you would just hand over his soul-"

He stopped abruptly in midsentence, before jerking his head up toward the sky, narrowing his eyes and cursing under his breath. Arsian also turned his head in that direction, raising an eyebrow. A moment later, two more bright streaks of light blinked into the night sky, aiming towards them at an alarming rate. Soon enough, with another blinding flash, the two entities hit the ground beside Juan, and when the light faded, there were two more reapers standing before them, serious looks on their faces that could only mean that they meant business.

One of the two newcomers was another familiar face, a short girl with a pink smock and a red ascot. The other reaper was a woman, with long, dark brown hair that fell past her waist, coppery skin and chocolate brown eyes. Her clothing was simple and plain, though her dress appeared to be made from animal hide, but whether or not that was real, Gilbert couldn't tell. And both reapers had their intimidating scythes at hand.

"Paulette! Akira!" Juan reprimanded irritably, "What do you think you're doing here?"

At the name "Akira," Alfred's jaw dropped. Even Gilbert was beyond surprised to learn that this was the reaper who seriously broke the mandate all those years ago. Moreover, Alfred didn't look anything like his mother. Evidently, the American was having an insanely hard time processing that this was his actual mother in front of him, the mother he hadn't met for as long as he could remember. The mother he had been wondering about and imagining since he was just a little kid, the mother who had left him on the orphanage doorstep when he was two.

"We're here to stop you from making a mistake," Paulette asserted firmly, gripping her scythe for effect.

"What?!" Juan exclaimed, "If you two are also here, then who's out collecting mortal souls?! Just because we aren't doing our job doesn't mean that people stop dying! You're supposed to be sending souls to the afterlife!"

"Don't worry," Paulette waved off indifferently, "In case you can't count, there's only six of us here. Alfonso is still out there, covering all our shifts."

"You left him out there to do the work of seven reapers all by himself?" Chao gaped.

"Boy, is he going to be cranky tomorrow morning," Jamar mused.

"Well, if you guys would just get over yourselves and see what a big deal you're making out of this, then maybe we could all just get back to work like we should," Akira huffed, one hand on her hip.

"But this _is_ a big deal," Juan persisted stubbornly, "Your son or not, he still broke life's most sacred law!" At this, all the other hunters save for Gilbert and Alfred gasped and glanced from Akira to Alfred and back to Akira. "I know you care for the boy, but he's nothing but trouble. We can't control him. Perhaps we should have killed him a long time ago."

"No, I won't let you hurt him while I'm here," Akira warned forebodingly, tightening the grip on her scythe, "You should know that by now."

"Your love for him impairs your judgment," Juan gritted his teeth, "If he's too dangerous, than we have no choice but to terminate him! Even you can't protect him then." He, too, brandished his scythe, its blade catching the moonlight ominously.

"Calm down, you two," Vladmir interjected, "You know reapers aren't allowed to fight each other."

"But this isn't just about me protecting my son," Akira insisted ardently, "This is about us as reapers protecting humanity!"

"How so?" Chao questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You know that the demons are up to something," Paulette piped up, "They're going to attack the Academy, and we can't directly interfere! But Alfred can since he's not bound by a mandate. The humans need demon hunters even if they don't know it, and the demon hunters here need Alfred!"

"Makes sense to me," Vladmir remarked helpfully.

"The seal is weakening and his power still grows," Jamar pointed out, "How do we know he won't abuse his power once he reaches his full potential?"

Alfred opened his mouth to protest, but Paulette shot him a warning glare, telling him not speak. Then she turned to her fellow reaper, "Can't you see it in his soul? He has a warm heart. Maybe not the brightest intellect, but he shares his compassion with his friends. I've seen it! Besides, the compromise doesn't end until he's seventeen."

"That compromise is coming to an end soon, though," Chao said thoughtfully. "And he's not off to a good start, breaking the sacred law so soon."

"He didn't really know any better. I don't even think he knew what he was doing," Paulette shrugged. "Just make him swear an oath never to do it again."

"And if he breaks that oath, then he can face punishment," Akira affirmed smoothly, "But I don't think that will happen. But right now, the demon hunters need him to lend them his strength, since we cannot lend them ours."

"All right, fine," Juan sighed, "We won't kill the boy for now so long as he swears the oath. We'll continue the compromise until he turns seventeen and then decide whether he is too dangerous or not. But still, he cannot get off the hook so easily for such a grave offense."

"I wouldn't worry," Chao said darkly, "There are always retributions for breaking sacred laws, with or without our help. I'm sure they will pay a heavy price later on, and we might not have anything to do with it."

"And what about the formerly deceased one?" Jamar frowned, regarding Arthur quizzically, making the Brit flinch involuntarily.

"I say we let him live," Paulette said confidently.

"That's pushing it, Paulette," Juan shot her a pointed look, irked. "What part of sacred law do you not understand?! Honestly, how you became a reaper, I have no idea."

"The Academy needs him, too," she replied somberly, "And killing him again wouldn't be right! We're reapers, not murderers."

"But letting him live wouldn't be 'right' either," Juan grumbled, "That would be unfair. What gives him the right to have a second chance at life while all other humans only get one? Besides, I doubt one mortal would make that much of a difference for the whole demon hunter population."

"His life would make a difference," Akira advocated, "The Academy is going to need all the hunters it can get, especially Class A hunters. As for the fairness of it all, well, you're right, it's not fair. But perhaps nothing in this mortal world is fair! Is it fair for the humans to have their souls eaten up by demons, never to pass on to the afterlife?"

"As much as I hate bending the rules," Chao mused, "She's making a lot of good points there, Juan. It would be more beneficial to the human race if we let this one live to defend the Academy."

"But-" Juan started in objection, before Paulette interrupted him.

"Juan, we wouldn't be breaking the rules like this if it weren't absolutely important!" she insisted unwaveringly, "I know you love humanity just as much as the rest of us do! If you didn't, you wouldn't have been chosen to become a reaper to help mortal souls. And right now, those human souls which we hold dear are in terrible danger!"

There was a moment of silence, and everyone seemed to be holding their breaths, most especially Arthur, before Juan answered with a disgruntled sigh, "Fine, we won't kill him again." The rest of them let out a collective exhale of relief, before Juan turned to Arthur, and said sternly, "Hunter, you've been granted a special gift of circumstances. Perhaps fate is on your side, or perhaps you are simply very lucky. Whatever the case, do not waste this life."

Arthur blinked, then his expression hardened and he nodded firmly, "I won't."

Juan glanced over at Alfred, "We are letting you go for now, boy. But don't think you're off the hook that easily. The compromise ends on your seventeenth birthday. If by then, you have not proven yourself worthy of your tremendous power, well, you know what happens. I need you to swear that you will never, under any circumstances, use your power to bring the dead back to life, you hear?"

Alfred hesitated at first, but then realized that this was something he had to do if he wanted to walk out of here with his life. "I swear it."

"Right then," Juan nodded, "I guess we're done here for now." He turned to his fellow reapers, "Get back to your shifts as soon as possible." With that, Juan twirled his scythe once over his head, then struck the ground with the blunt end of his shaft, creating a bright flash of white light, and the next instant, he was gone.

Jamar rolled his eyes, "He always has to go out with a bang, doesn't he?"

"Just to make his point," Chao shrugged. Even as the reaper spoke, his image began to fade, until within seconds, he too disappeared.

Jamar's form blurred, before in a small shower of sparks, he had vanished into thin air. Vladmir threw Gilbert and Alfred a wink and a knowing smile, before he teleported away in a puff of red smoke.

"Bloody hell, that almost gave me a heart attack," Arthur said, sounding drained, his shoulder slumping as he relaxed his tense muscles.

Kiku sheathed his katana as he spoke, "Hai, that could have easily gone very bad for us. We couldn't have won a fight against a reaper."

"Seriously, though," Paulette told Arthur pointedly, "Don't waste your second chance. We're counting on you guys."

"Wasn't planning on it," Arthur reassured her, "And we are going to save the Academy, no matter what the demons throw at us!" Then he gave the young reaper a grateful smile, "Thanks for helping us."

"You're welcome," Paulette grinned with a thumbs up. "You can repay me by not letting me down. We were serious when we said that humanity needs you guys. If this Academy falls to a demon alliance, then demons across the globe will band together to topple all the other demon hunting academies and possibly wipe out all the demon hunters. If that happens, the mundane mortals will be doomed. And...I never want to see the day where my services to humankind are no longer needed, all because the demons have left no souls behind to be guided to the afterlife."

"Don't you worry, Paulette," Gilbert assured her with a smirk, "These demons picked the wrong school to mess with. If there's any Academy out there that can beat them, it's this one. And we've got a half-reaper on our side, right Alfred?" He waited for a cheery remark in support from the American, but there was none. The albino glanced around, only to see that Alfred was no longer with them. Instead, he was tentatively making his way off to the side of their conversation, towards the reaper Akira.

Alfred couldn't remember a time when he was more nervous than he was right now. This was his mother, standing before him, and now the two actually had a chance to talk, face-to-face, just the two of them. And now that he had this chance, he didn't know what to say. Akira, on the other hand, regarded her son intently, analyzing his every feature, with an unreadable expression. She had a very fierce presence, undeniably passionate and a bit intimidating, and he didn't know what to make of it. Finally, Alfred spoke, unable to bear the silence any longer, "All these years, I've tried to picture what you would look like. And, boy, not once did I ever once come close. I really thought you would look...more like me."

Akira gave a small smile then, and Alfred felt as if he soul became a tad warmer, cozier even. "I suppose that is because I have no genes to pass on to you," Akira said softly, a musical voice that was tender, and loving. "As you know, I have no human body, and not even a true form. I can change my appearance to be whatever I want it to be, but this one is my favorite. It's the one your father came to know." She gazed into his blue eyes wistfully, nostalgically, "You look so like your father, you know. Even your soul bears a remarkable resemblance to his."

"Except for, you know, he was human and I'm..." Alfred trailed off, unsure how to put this. What was he exactly? Was there a name for something like him? A reaper-human hybrid of some sort?

"You are human, too," Akira corrected delicately. "Only with powers deriving from reaper energy. And that is a blessing and a curse in itself." Her brown eyes were sad, and even a little weary.

"What do you mean?"

"You have a great strength within you, that you can use to protect yourself and those you love, but that power will also cause you strife, as it almost did today, when the other reapers almost punished you for saving your friend. Be wary, for that is not the last time such power will bring you misfortune. And for that, I must apologize. When I fell in love with your father...I never intended for this to happen. I'm so sorry for what I've done," she murmured.

"Sorry?" he echoed, fists shaking at his sides. Suddenly a storm of emotions swirled about within him, coming out of nowhere, and he could not comprehend why he felt this way, but he could not stop it. "Are you saying you're sorry you had me? Is that why you left me at an orphanage?"

Akira blinked, shocked, then shook her head, and amended earnestly, "No, Alfred, I don't regret having you one bit. You're my son, and I love you dearly. If I could have raised you myself I would have." She took a deep breath, then continued, "Alfred, do you know how reapers come to be?"

Alfred shook his head.

"It's a sacred process, and a complicated one. Reapers were once humans, but had died long ago. There have always been seven, to guide the souls to depart this mortal world into the afterlife, but when a reaper must be replaced, one departed soul is chosen, recalled from the afterlife. The consciousness of that soul is granted a special honor to be placed into a reaper body, made completely from condense energy. Reapers' souls remain in the afterlife, but their consciousness is in the mortal world. That is why reapers cannot die. We do not have mortal bodies, and our souls are well out of the demons' reach. But I could not raise you and hold true to my mandate. Breaking the reaper mandate is a serious thing, Alfred, and I was lucky enough to secure your life and remain a reaper. And now, even though you are not a full reaper yourself, you also carry a tremendous responsibility to abide by the sacred laws. I know you only did what you thought was right, but that was a reckless action; if you had not mended his anchor properly, you could have severely damaged his soul. It's very lucky that you didn't. You must not use your powers to bring back the dead anymore."

"All right, I get it," Alfred nodded solemnly for once.

Akira smiled then, her eyes softening, "My dear Alfred...Even though I was forbidden from entering your life, I was able to watch you from time to time. You've grown so much, and I have all the faith in the world in you. And you really do look so much like your father. I can see him in you."

"Mom," Alfred started, with a determined look on his face, "Please, you have to tell me. What happened to my dad? Which demon killed him?"

His mother became evidently uneasy, averting her gaze from his eyes. "Why do you assume he was killed by a demon?"

"I know Paulette said that he wasn't," Alfred said unfalteringly, "But I know that's got to be a lie. And I don't blame her for lying, since she was probably just trying not to hurt me or anything. But I know he was killed, or else, he wouldn't have left me all alone! I just know he wouldn't have!"

"Alfred, I cannot tell you what happened to your father, nor can I answer any other questions regarding his death," Akira maintained austerely. "I am sorry, but I know your father wouldn't have wanted you to dwell on him instead of living your life to the fullest. Please, just put him out of your mind, at least for now. The Academy needs your strength, and you cannot afford to be distracted."

"I can save the Academy _and_ think about him," Alfred huffed indignantly, "If you tell me which demon killed him now, I promise I'll go after it once the Academy's safe."

"No, I will not tell you, and that is final," she replied tersely. Seeing his frustration, she took a deep breath, then looked at him gently, almost melancholy, "Alfred, though I cannot tell you that, I can tell you this: Your father loved you with every ounce of his being, and I know that he would be proud of you, of the person you've become. The compromise is coming to an end soon. Please, my son, do what you think is right, and do not let him, or me, down."

Alfred took a deep breath, then met her gaze with his unwavering blue eyes. "I won't."

Paulette came over to them then, and stood side by side with Akira, giving Alfred a friendly smile, "We have to go now, but we'll be rooting for you, I promise! You have the power to save those you care about, Alfred, don't forget that."

"This farewell won't be for long, my son," Akira said kindly, "We will see each other again soon. Now that you know about your true nature, I can sneak in a visit every once in a while. Until then, take care." Even before she was done speaking, their forms blurred, and Alfred soon found he was unable to focus on them, until finally, they blended completely with the dark forest and disappeared from sight.

"Bye, Mom," Alfred whispered.

* * *

After all the reapers had vanished and gone away, everyone else went back to sleep, Arsian assuring them that there were no more supernatural beings heading their way. Gilbert, however, couldn't return to slumber. He tried to, shifting restlessly on the couch, before giving up and trudging outside and sitting on the porch steps. The forest was calm, and peaceful. There was still a strange, mystical aura about the air, and though he could definitely feel it, he could not name what it was.

It didn't bother him, so instead, he mind wandered off to other things. He wondered with an aching heart how his brother was doing. He hadn't seen the blonde for three whole days now. It was probably the longest they've ever been separated, since Gilbert had been so determined all these years to protect his younger brother. The thought never left him that Illedris still had a desire to eat Ludwig's soul, though she considered Gilbert's soul deal more important. On more than one occasion did his master describe the blonde's soul as tantalizing, more so than most mundane souls, and every time Gilbert grew more and more protective.

The albino's train of thought was derailed when the front door opened, and Yao stepped outside, a bit surprised to see Gilbert sitting all by himself. "Couldn't sleep either?" Gilbert asked, moving over to give Yao some room to sit next to him.

"Yeah," Yao sighed as he took his seat on the step, "I'm still too worked up from earlier to fall asleep. And I can't stop thinking about everything else that's going on. The reapers kept saying how important it was that we save the Academy, but I just can't believe that the demons are actually going to do, they're really going to attack. The Academy was always...like a safe haven for us demon hunters. It's destruction...it's unimaginable! I mean, the demons have never dared coming near it, especially since Mr. Vargas is the headmaster. But I guess with a demon army, they think they'll finally be able to overcome a Purifying Light hunter."

"What is a Purifying Light hunter, anyway?" Gilbert asked curiously, remembering how Illedris cursed when she heard Mr. Vargas's name.

"You don't know?" Yao raised an eyebrow incredulously, then chuckled to himself, "Well, I guess you haven't been enrolled as long as the rest of us. Hmm...how to explain this...well, I guess it all goes back to the legend, aru. According to legend from long, long, ago, there was a time where it seemed that all civilization was going to crumble under the evil might of the demons. The demon hunters weren't strong enough to fend off all of the wicked creatures, and the future looked bleak. That's where the angels come in. What do you already know about angels?"

"Not much," Gilbert admitted, scratching his head.

"Angels are forbidden to cross over into this mortal world," Yao explained, "At least that's how the legend goes, since no one's ever seen one. It is said that they long to rid this world of demons, but coming here would defy their mandate. But when humanity seemed on the verge of extinction, they could not sit back and do nothing. Yet they could not come fight themselves. So instead, they were able to touch the souls of demon hunters before they were born into mortal life. The angels chose each soul carefully, and if they deemed that soul worthy enough, they would give that demon hunter a blessing, called the Purifying Light. Within these special souls was the power to use the light of the angels to destroy demons like never before, however, not just any demon hunter could possess this power. If a soul was not pure enough, the light could destroy them instead. But those who could accept the blessing became powerful enough to reverse the demons' success and bring humanity rebounding back with life. Those dark ages past, and the angels stopped giving their gift. And the legend says that when dark days are soon upon us, the angels select a few souls to give their rare blessing, in the hope of guarding humanity."

"So the angels chose the headmaster?" Gilbert gaped, awestruck.

"It's only a legend, but I believe it," Yao nodded, "Mr. Vargas is one of the most powerful demon hunters on the planet. There have only been a handful of Purifying Light hunters in recorded history, and he's one of them."

"And this angels' light, could it destroy your curse?" Gilbert asked, unable to stop a little excitement from escaping his voice. He also wanted to ask if it could be used to destroy his soul deal, but he didn't want to get his hopes too high.

Yao gave him a sad look, and his heart sank a little. "No, and I know what you're thinking. This light was designed to hurt only demons and not hunters. But for us, the light is extremely dangerous. Our souls are both tainted, touched by evil, so the light would destroy all of us, not just the tainted part. It would kill us."

There was a somber silence, and Gilbert just stared at the stars in the sky. He should have known escaping his deal wouldn't be that easy. Perhaps everything Orexis said was right. His fate was sealed the day he sold his soul for his brother. And he could accept that. If he was going to die, well, he supposed there were worst things to die for. But Yao...he shouldn't have to die. "It's not fair," Gilbert murmured, "That you were cursed."

Yao blinked, surprised by the sincerity in his words, then said softly, "I used to think that this curse was my punishment for losing Tao. Sometimes, I still think it is." Gilbert opened his mouth to protest, but Yao held up his hand, "I know what you're going to say, that it isn't my fault Tao's gone, but you won't change my mind. You should know how I feel, as an older brother yourself. I thought you would understand the most. When I heard why you made your soul deal, I couldn't hate you...because if that's what it took to save Tao, I wouldn't have hesitated one moment to sell my soul. But instead I have a curse...and no brother."

There was another moment of silence, because Gilbert didn't know what to say. He could try to console Yao, but he couldn't do that without lying, and that wasn't what Yao needed. Finally, he asked, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but, how did you get that curse?"

He paused, before answering, "I'll tell you, since Antonio told us how you made your soul deal, and it's only fair that you know my story. It was about six months ago, and Kiku and I got an assignment to slay the demon of nothing, Nihilum. This demon does not have a tangible form, like an invisible ghost, which is why it's so hard to track it. However, in that form it can't touch anything and can't feed on souls, so it possesses corpses. Dead bodies don't feel pain, and there are no souls left in them to resist Nihilum. It often changes corpses so that no one can locate its whereabouts. However, Nihilum had revealed itself for a brief time, and it was our only chance to slay it."

"How do you kill it?" Gilbert wondered, since corpses are already dead.

"That was the part we were never sure of," Yao said darkly, "We assumed you had to destroy its host body. Kiku and I accepted the job, and to our surprise it wasn't hard to find the demon. But slaying it was a totally different matter." Yao shivered at the memory, "It was practically like fighting a zombie. Nihilum had taken the body of a dead young woman, whose flesh had long been decaying. When we fought it, landing any solid blows was impossible, since cuts and slashes didn't affect it. But we weren't losing. Then, I had a chance, but...I blew it. I should have severed its head, but I wasn't thinking. I drove my sword through her heart, assuming it was like any other demon. But it didn't do a thing. Instead, my sword got stuck in her body, and I was within the demon's range of attack."

"So you couldn't stab a heart that was already dead," Gilbert shuddered. It really was like fighting a zombie. "What happened then?"

Yao continued, "Kiku pushed me out of the way in time, but he got fatally injured instead. I wanted to heal him but I had to fend off the demon. This time I made sure I cut its head off, and I did. I immediately rushed over to Kiku and began to heal him, thinking the fight was over."

"Nihilum was still alive after you beheaded it?" Gilbert gawked.

"Yes. I didn't realize it in time, but Nihilum and had left the corpse the instant before I decapitated it. I couldn't see its ghost form in the dark, but it began to laugh at me once I started healing Kiku. It scorned me, saying that my soul skill was cheating, and told me that no hunter should have a skill to counteract death. That's when it cursed me. I still couldn't see it, but suddenly I felt a burning sensation and there was the beginning of an Ouroboros on my collarbone. Before Nihilum disappeared, it said that when the Mark was complete, I would die."

Gilbert balled his fists in rage. How dare that bastard?! And the winged snake... "I have an Ouroboros, too," he muttered.

"Really?" Yao blinked, "That's your Mark, too?"

Gilbert nodded. Then a thought occurred to him. "Let me see it," he said.

"What?" Yao's face fell, and he bit his lip.

"Your Mark. Show me." Gilbert indicated his collarbone.

"No," Yao shook his head stubbornly. "It's none of your concern."

"_Yao_." The two glared at each other, each obstinate and unwilling to back down. "Yao, I'm asking as your friend. Please."

There was another tense pause, and finally Yao caved in. He pulled down the collar of his shirt just enough to expose the base of his neck.

And Gilbert's mouth fell open. "Holy shit," he whispered, voice cracking.

There was barely half a centimeter between the serpent's mouth and its tail.

"W-what happened?" Gilbert stammered, "Last time there was only three fifths of a circle. I thought you could at least use your skill five more times...and you've only used it twice..."

Yao read the alarm in Gilbert's eyes, but he no longer looked afraid and maintained his steely composure. His voice was calm and steady, "Healing Arthur used up a lot more energy than I thought. It accelerated the Mark. If I use my soul skill one more time, I'll die."

* * *

From the Author: Lots of new characters, and new info, right? Hopefully that shed light on a lot of certain things to come...any guesses? Maybe some of you already know how this will play out...or do you? ;)

Arsian is Mongolia, Juan is Cuba, Vladmir is Romania, Chao is Macau, Jamar is Cameroon, Akira is Native America, Paulette is Wy, Tao is Hong Kong, Alfonso is Portugal

Sorry for the late update, I ended up being really busy until now! Speaking of busy, it is to my regret that I must say that due to my tighter schedule, updates might not exactly be every Friday for the next three to four months. I will try my hardest to post every weekend at the least, but I can't guarantee it, and I'm not sure how often they will be. But I can promise a chapter next weekend if anything! Sorry for any inconveniences.

Anyways, thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing! BTW, all your reviews have been wonderful to read and I love you all for it! wintercandyapple has an amazing audience! That said, I'd love to hear what you have to say, so don't be afraid to review~ Thanks again and until next chapter!


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: Hetalia is not mine.

* * *

Eventually, Gilbert was able to fall back asleep after the crazy night, but it was not a peaceful slumber. Seeing Yao's Mark was really weighing on him, especially since his Chinese classmate made him promise not to tell any of the others how close it was to completion. Gilbert almost didn't, but Yao told him that telling the others would only make the situation worse. "I'm barely accepting it as it is," Yao had said sullenly, "And I don't think I could bear it if one of them died because they wouldn't let me heal them. Please, Gilbert, I want to at least have this choice. I don't want them to worry about me now. There are more important things we need to be thinking about."

As much as Gilbert wanted to argue, he couldn't. Perhaps because of all he went through, he could understand and respect Yao's request. In more ways than one were the two similar, he supposed. Both of their souls were technically tainted, though Gilbert's was more so. Both of them would go to extremes to protect their younger brothers, though in that category, Gilbert was successful to an extent while Yao was not. And both struggled to keep their secret but failed.

Finally, rays of warm sunshine peeked through the open windows of Arsian's whimsical home, while birds chirped from the trees outside. Gilbert opened his eyes slowly, and eventually got off the couch and wandered into the kitchen with Gilbird on his head. Everyone else was already up, he found, and eating breakfast, which consisted of fresh loaves of buttered bread with cheese and milk, at the round table that barely fit them all. Arsian was the only one not at the table, but was content with leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest in that mysterious way of his. The Mongolian was practically the living definition of an enigma.

Kiku had just finished eating, and offered his seat at the table to Gilbert, polite as always, and then joined Arsian. Alfred was animatedly wolfing down his food, almost like a vacuum, and so Gilbert made very sure to grab his share of bread from the platter before Alfred ate it all. Arthur was maintaining his manners, like any British gentleman would, and Gilbert noticed that he looked a lot better than he did last night, probably relieved that he would be allowed to remain alive. Yao sat across the table from the albino, pretending like nothing had happened, acting like his Mark wasn't almost complete. Elizaveta sat on his right, and to his relief looked to be almost fully recovered from their battle with Orexis.

Finally, Arthur decided it was time to get down to business, "Okay, now that things have finally settled down, we need to plan our next move. We know that the demons are going to attack before the end of the month, which gives us barely two weeks, probably even less than that."

"We weren't able to get any information from Orexis," Gilbert frowned, "And we still need to figure out the details or we won't be doing the Academy any good."

"Then let's move on to the next demon on that list that the information brokers gave you," Elizaveta suggested. "Where's the closest one?"

Everyone was staring at the albino expectantly, but Gilbert hesitated. "Look, I know you all want to come with me, but I think I should track down the next one alone. It's too dangerous-"

"Are you kidding me right now?" Alfred interjected pointedly. "That's not going to happen. We're coming with you. All of us!"

"But," Gilbert protested, "After what happened to Arthur...Orexis killed one of us! I can't let that happen again. That's why I have to go by myself."

"Seriously?" Elizaveta rolled her eyes, "I always knew you weren't the brightest, but now you sound just plain stupid."

"What did you just say?" Gilbert glared at her indignantly.

"Your logic makes no sense. Yes, it's true Orexis killed him," Elizaveta elucidated, "But that's all the more reason for us to go with you! If all the demons on that list are just as dangerous, then you'll die for sure if you go alone! So quit trying to do everything by yourself and trust us to help you!"

"We're going and that's final," Arthur nodded. "Now which demon are we going after?" He question was directed at Gilbert with no room for argument. Gilbert sighed and pulled out the list from his pocket, knowing that they were right. His eyes slid over the names of the demons, and he bit his lip without thinking. They were all major demons, and their Latin names did not sound promising. It was like trying to pick which death he preferred. He was pretty sure that beating them was doable with six hunters, but the risk was just so high, it was improbable that they would all make it out alive.

"What if we didn't have to fight another demon to get answers?" Alfred suggested, an idea clearly forming behind his bright blue eyes.

Yao raised an eyebrow, "And how would we do that, aru?"

Alfred turned to Arthur excitedly, "Do you remember that assignment we got six months ago? The one where we had to find that demon hiding somewhere in the city? And we had to do it incognito style? You remember what happened, right?"

Arthur gave him an annoyed look, a flash of irritation coming over him, "Yes, you wanker, I remember. It was the only assignment I've ever failed. We split up to search for it, but neither of us ever came close, so we had to head back with empty hands."

"Correction!" Alfred said, a smile growing over his face, "_You_ never came close, but...what if I told you that I lied when I said I didn't find anything?"

"What?! Alfred!" Arthur's mouth fell open. "You found the demon that day? Did you kill it? Why the bloody hell did you lie to me?"

"Well, long story short, I did find the demon, hiding in a run-down apartment building in disguise. His name was Occultus, the demon of secrets. I was going to kill him, but he begged me to spare him, since he wasn't belligerent demon. He couldn't really fight, and I just couldn't bring myself to slay something that was defenseless," Alfred admitted, ignore Arthur's frustrated glares, "So we made a deal."

"A _deal_?" Gilbert coughed, almost choking on a bite of cheese.

"No, not a deal like yours," Alfred amended apologetically before continuing, "More like a trade off. If I let him live, then he promised to give me the runes to his summoning circle." At this, Arsian raised an eyebrow, and Yao glanced over at him for a brief moment, then went back to listened to Alfred's explanation, "So I let him go, and in return I got the runes. He said that I could summon him once and ask him one question for no charges. Don't you get it? This is the demon of secrets! He can tell us what the demons are up to, and he'd be forced to answer me!"

"Alfred, do you realize how serious that offense is?" Arthur gawked, "You let a demon go just like that! You could be expelled for making a bargain with a demon!"

"Or executed, but hey, it's all the same to me," Gilbert said sardonically under his breath.

"What's done is done," Kiku sighed, "What matters now is that we have the means to summon this demon. Should we do it?"

"The means? We don't have the means," Arthur frowned, "We can't just summon a demon anywhere."

"And do you know how much trouble we'd get in for summoning a-" Elizaveta started, but then stopped in midsentence and shook her head, smiling to herself, "We're already breaking the rules anyway, I guess. What's one more?"

"Actually, we do have all the means," Yao halfsmiled, gesturing toward Arsian, "This place is different, I'm sure you've all felt it by now. The area around this house is in the middle of a thin veil of warped space, but it's different from Orexis's mansion and it doesn't impair our soul regeneration. In fact, it helps our souls. Arsian's family has been guarding this place for generations. Demons would love to reduce this place to a pile of ash, but when demons step into this warped space, their strength diminishes by over half. It's not like they can't come in, but if they did, Arsian would slay them without having to do much work."

Arsian turned toward Alfred, "I'm afraid that demon tried to trick you when you let it go. Arthur's right, you can't just summon a demon anywhere, because once you do summon it, the demon will kill you before you have the chance to bind it to the summoning circle. But in this warped space, the demons are rendered too weak to fight back. Occultus probably didn't think you would find this place."

"Perfect," Gilbert grinned, "Let's do this then! If we can get the secrets from this demon without fighting, then I say we can't afford to pass this opportunity up!"

"Do you have the runes with you?" Kiku frowned at Alfred.

The American nodded optimistically, "Yeah, of course dude! When Occultus gave me the runes, he didn't put them on a piece of paper. Instead he used his weird demon powers to convert them into my memories so I can't forget them, or lose them for that matter. I guess he doesn't want me accidentally losing his runes on a post-it note for anyone to find. He also swore an oath that the runes weren't fake."

Arsian nodded and handed Alfred a pen and a sheet of paper, "Draw them out here then, so I can look at them." Alfred did as he was told, and the others just sat in silence for a moment, watching his draw the strange symbols in a circular fashion. After a few minutes he was finished, and handed the paper back to Arsian.

The Mongolian examined the runes for a moment, while Yao explained, "You see, a lot a travelers actually come here with the intention of using the warped space to their advantage, either as a temporary refuge from demons or to actually summon a demon, so Arsian's seen a lot of summoning circles."

"This demon of secrets is more powerful that he led on," Arsian murmured, scrutinizing the paper, "The more complex the runes, the harder it is to summon the demon. And his are especially tricky. With these kinds of runes, you can only summon him on a half moon, the balance between light and dark. You guys got lucky; the next one is only two nights from now."

Yao shivered involuntarily, "If we had missed it, that would have been very..."

"Unfortunate," Arsian finished. "Maybe that reaper was right. Fate just might be on your side."

"I wouldn't say that just yet," Gilbert said darkly. "So I guess we'll have to wait until then."

* * *

It was around noon, and the midday sun was high in the sky, but the cool breeze made the heat bearable. Gilbert was outside, where the house's front lawn would have been if it had a front lawn, but since it was integrated into the forest, the grass wasn't trimmed or anything. And Gilbert liked it that way; it felt more in tune with nature, and it reminded him of training out in the clearing with Elizaveta. She was outside too, practicing her swing with her sword in her hand. Alfred had suddenly decided to go on a walk by himself around the woods, and since they didn't have to worry about demon attacks here, they let him go without question. Arthur, Kiku, Yao, and Arsian were sitting on the porch, discussing how they would summon the demon when the half moon came, and how the warped space worked. Gilbert could care less about all the superfluous details, and to be honest the technical stuff was never his forte, so he decided to let those four handle it. Meanwhile, he was practicing the move Roderich had helped him learn, making projectile weapons that could leave his touch.

By now, he had just about mastered making small darts and could send them flying to the center of a makeshift target he had drawn on a tree trunk with charcoal. The motion was gradually become natural and even second-hand, and Gilbert was finally reaching the point where he didn't have to make a full conscious effort to discharge energy from his body as he threw the dart. Hopefully, he would soon reach the point where he didn't have to think about it at all.

"That's kind of like my soul skill," Arthur remarked thoughtfully, watching Gilbert make another dart and hit the bulls-eye. He and the others had finished their conversation and ended up observing his training.

"Yeah," Gilbert nodded, walking over to the tree to remove the dart. "That's how Roderich explained it, referring to your skill. But I can't regenerate like you do." As he removed the dart, a thought occurred to him. "I can't make a gun with my skill, since making all those bullets would require a lot of condensed energy that I can't afford to spend, but how come none of the other hunters at the Academy use guns?"

The others just stared at him like he was crazy. Even Elizaveta stopped in mid-swing to give him a dubious look. "Demon hunters don't usually use that kind of technology," Yao told him matter-of-factly. "Demon hunting has been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years, and back then, hunters didn't have technology. Using guns just feels unnatural to most demon hunters. Our ancestors used traditional weapons, and so our instincts have a predilection to them. The skills of using traditional weapons are practically ingrained into our senses, so that's how the Academy trains us. We were taught that a blade is like an extension of the body, like it's part of who we are. But guns don't feel like part of us."

"Besides," Arthur added, "Guns wouldn't be all that effective against demons. You could use a gun if you wanted to, and some hunters actually do, but most demons can't be killed by bullets. I guess guns could hold a demon off, but if would be very difficult to kill one that way. Bullets can fatally injure flesh mortals, but not demon essences."

"Makes sense," Gilbert nodded. He was about to make another dart, when suddenly Alfred returned, practically bounding through the woods in an overly upbeat manner.

"Gilbert!" He exclaimed, "I've got it! And I need your help!"

"Got what?" Gilbert tilted his head to the side questioningly.

"I had one of those light bulb moments!" Alfred gushed cheerfully. "I was just walking around, wondering how could I save the Academy if I couldn't even really control my reaper powers, and then if hit me! If I can summon a scythe, I'll be able to control my energy!"

"How does having a scythe help you control your power?" Arthur scoffed.

"Can you do that with your soul energy?" Kiku asked curiously.

"Last time I checked, that was Gilbert's soul skill, not yours," Elizaveta pointed out.

"I know I can," Alfred nodded confidently, "Don't ask me how I know, I just do. I mean, what's the point of being half reaper if I can't make a scythe? Besides, Gilbert already promised he'd teach me how."

"That's true, I did," Gilbert nodded with a smirk, "But be prepared for some intense training, my young pupil."

"Young pupil?" Alfred frowned. "Are you even older than me?"

"You turn seventeen next month, right?"

"Yeah, at the end of next month."

"Well," Gilbert grinned, "Then I'm half a month older! Anyways, if you want me to teach you, then you have to listen to everything I say." Alfred nodded seriously, so Gilbert continued, "The first step to creating a weapon is summoning the energy to the palm of your hand."

"I can do that," Alfred nodded as his arms began to give off a faint bluish glow.

"Not like that," Gilbert shook his head. "You have to concentrate the energy only on your palm and fingertips. And you can't manifest it as light and strength. That's how your skill works, right? You use your energy to increase your strength, but to make a weapon, you have to turn that energy into a solid, tangible form. It'll take some getting used to."

"All right, I think I got it," Alfred nodded. He held out one hand, and began to concentrate intently. A blue light emanated from his palm, getting brighter and brighter. Gilbert watched with a slight frown. The American was focusing so hard his whole arm was shaking, until finally, he gasped and dropped his hand to his side. "Why is this so hard!"

"It's not that hard," Gilbert smirked, manifesting a long bronze shaft in his grasp. A curved blade sprouted from one end, completing a battle axe. "You just have to convert your energy into something you can hold."

"It looks easy when you do it," Alfred huffed. "Okay, let them try again." And so he tried again, yet with the same failed results.

A wayward grin grew on Gilbert's lips. "Maybe you need a little more motivation! No eating until you summon at least a shaft to your hand. Not even any snacks. Only water."

"What?" Alfred pouted, "That's harsh, dude!"

"Not even Adnan was that demanding," Arthur chuckled.

"Well, better get to it if you want to have dinner," Gilbert simpered toward Alfred, twirling his axe with ease.

* * *

It was well past dinner. And Alfred's stomach would not stop growling. This was probably his millionth time trying, and he still wasn't any close to making a shaft than he was the first time. Everyone else had gone inside, except for Gilbert who sat on the porch, eating an apple. The moon was high in the night sky, and the darkness around them only made Alfred's light shine brighter, practically taunting him that that was all he could do.

Again, he only succeeded in giving off the blue glow from his hand, and he could not figure out what he was doing wrong. Gilbert had stopped talking a while ago, and just observed him try over and over again, an unreadable expression on his face. Finally, after two more tries, he said, "Maybe you just can't do it with your soul energy."

"No, that can't be it," Alfred shook his head, wiping the sweat from his forehead, "I have to be able to! I can't explain it, but it's like an instinct or something. I can picture the scythe clearly, I just need to be able to summon it."

"Well, you're obviously doing something wrong," Gilbert sighed, "It's hard for me to explain how I create my weapons, since I've been doing it since I was a kid."

"How did you learn, then?"

Gilbert paused, before answering, "My demon master would drill me through endless nights. It was like hell for me."

Alfred frowned. "So you're saying I need to train like you did? Hardcore through endless nights?"

"No, I don't think that's what's missing..." Gilbert said thoughtfully. "When I trained back then, I almost died from fatigue and over exertion a couple of times. But I survived and mastered by skill, and it was because I couldn't afford not to. The only thing that ever kept me going, that forced me to endure it all, was knowing that I was the only one who could protect Ludwig. If I failed, he would die. And I wasn't going to let that happen. My only choice was to succeed, and so I did."

Alfred nodded slowly, the answer beginning to dawn on him. "I see..." He took a moment to clear his head of thoughts of failure and disappointment. Instead, he remembered why it was so important that he create his scythe. The Academy, all his friends, his mother, they were all counting on him to do this. He remembered Arthur's death, the blood spreading across the tiled floor. That would not happen ever again, not to any of his friends. Because without them, he would be nothing. And he had to power to protect them.

Taking a deep breath, Alfred closed his eyes and pictured the scythe vividly. Its black, metallic shaft, and its long, curved blade, slightly tinged blue. He held on tightly to the thoughts of his friends, and of his home at the Academy, and began to summon his energy to his outstretched palm. Suddenly, he was grasping something, and when he opened his eyes, there it was. The large scythe, exactly as he had pictured it.

"You did it!" Gilbert grinned, standing up from the porch.

"Yeah, I did," Alfred murmured, still taking it all in. He turned to face Gilbert, who tossed him half an apple and winked.

"You deserve it, reaper boy."

* * *

The next day passed by rather uneventfully, and Gilbert spent most of it sparring Elizaveta with swords while Alfred practiced using his scythe. The others had been so amazed when Alfred had shown them his newest weapon, absolutely radiating optimism. Finally, the sun went down and it was almost time to begin calling the demon.

Arsian led the six hunters through the dark woods, holding a lit torch, and took them to the base of the nearest mountain, a good six miles away. And at the base of this mountain was a large cave opening up into barren black rock. Gilbert had to make a conscious effort to resist the urge to shudder involuntarily, since the cave so reminded him of Illedris's lair. The seven of them made their way inside carefully, the only light being Arsian's torch. It was damp and cold, but Gilbert was well used to cave environments by now, though he couldn't say the same for the others. Elizaveta muttered something about how creepy the place was, while Alfred remained tensed, as if expecting something to jump out at them.

After walking for about five minutes, the group found themselves in a wide chamber, and now Gilbert actually had to remind himself that this was not, in fact, his master's cave. There were several other torches hung along the wall of the chamber, and Arsian began to light them all while Yao, Arthur, and Kiku began to work on the runes, drawing them on the smooth rock floor with chalk, following the design Alfred had drawn. They drew a large summoning circle that covered the expanse of the chamber, while Gilbert, Alfred, and Elizaveta waited on the edge, watching them sketch the runes precisely.

Apparently, when people wanted to summon demons, this was the optimal place to do it, and Arsian was accustomed to the rituals that took place. Finally, the summon circled was complete, and Arsian told them how this would work, "To activate the circle, it requires blood and soul energy." He pulled out a knife from his hilt, and held it out.

"I'll give the blood," Gilbert offered, reaching for the knife. It was the least he could do.

"I'm afraid it has to be the summoner," Arsian shook his head, handing the knife to Alfred instead. "And since you were the one given the runes, the demon will only come for you."

"Right," Alfred nodded, and took his place at center of the circle, gripping the knife.

"When the blood hits the circle," Arsian continued, "The rest of us need to touch the outer rim and give a bit of our soul energy. Technically, you could do it with one person's energy, but it's easier for all of us to give a little. "The others nodded, and knelt down, ready to place their hands on the circle's edge. "And as soon as the runes begin to glow, Alfred, you need to get out of the circle right away." Alfred nodded and took a deep breath.

Rolling up one sleeve of his arm, Alfred took the knife in his other hand and quickly cut a gash in his own palm, biting his lip. Then, as it began to bleed, he knelt down and touched the centermost rune, letting the blood run onto the chalk. Everyone else put both hands on the circle and focused their soul energy. And after a moment, the runes began to emit a radiant violet light, and immediately, Alfred stood up and ran out of the circle just as the light from the chalked runes intensified.

"Everyone, step back," Arsian ordered, and nobody needed to be told twice.

A figure began to rise up from the center rune, surrounded by the glow. The demon took the form of a man, with jet black hair and pale skin, wearing a black hoodie and dark pants. But that wasn't all. His violet eyes matched the color of the glowing runes, and two small horns protruded out of his hair. He had a pointed black tail, and two large black, bat-like wings that spread out from the two holes cut in the back of his hoodie. When he talked, he flashed his sharp fangs at the group before him.

"I am Occultus, the demon of secrets. Who dares summon me?"

"I do," Alfred answered firmly, stepping forward. Occultus regarded him with those luminescent eyes, and chuckled softly to himself.

"So it's you again, hunter. To be honest, I thought I would never see you again. Didn't think you'd know how to summon me."

"You look...a lot different," was all Alfred had to say.

"This is my true form, not the disguise you found me in," Occultus waved off, stretching his wings as he did so. "I'm surprised you were smart enough to call me in warped space. Last time we met, you didn't strike me as very bright."

"Hey!"

"As much as I'd love to sit around and chat," Occultus continued casually, "I'd much rather not stay in this warped space, so let's get on with this. You must have summoned me for a reason. Ready to reclaim that one question I owe you?"

Alfred nodded, "Yeah."

"You may ask one question, and one only, for no cost. For additional questions, I shall require...tribute," Occultus warned eerily.

"Make it count," Arthur muttered to Alfred.

"We want to know the details of the demons' plans to invade the Academy. How exactly are they planning on taking down the demon hunters there?" Alfred demanded.

"Oh, so you found out about that?" the demon mused, "In fact, Illedris offered me a part in that very alliance. I answered the way any smart demon would answer, of course, with a vague reply that could be twisted any way I want to. Honestly, I don't mind either way what happens to the Academy. If the demons win, I suppose I won't have to hide anymore and I can eat all the souls I want. But it would be dreadfully boring. A world ruled solely by demons wouldn't be as...interesting, the secrets wouldn't be as exciting as the ones humans keep. And I do relish in secrets. You'd be surprised how much deception there is in the mortal world."

"So you'll tell me then, right?" Alfred prompted, trying to return the demon to the topic at hand from his tangent.

"I have no choice in the matter. I did promise you one question in return for my release," Occultus shrugged indifferently. "I can see that you already know half of the demons' plans. The ringleader, Illedris, had set the whole thing in motion as soon as this one enrolled." Occultus shifted his gaze over to Gilbert, who stiffened. "This one attended the school long enough to extract its secrets and its defenses and then handed the demons the information they needed."

As the demon spoke, Gilbert's fists were shaking at his sides. Of course it was true, every word of it, and now a tidal wave of guilt and shame was crashing over him, threatening to make his knees buckle. He didn't dare meet any of the others' eyes, afraid that they would be filled with scorn, hatred, and betrayal. Instead, to his utter surprise, Elizaveta slipped her hand into his comfortingly, and smiled at him sadly. "We know you had no choice," she whispered tenderly, "What matters now is that we make things right."

"We already know all that," Alfred nodded, "What we need are facts, details about their strategy."

Occultus nodded, "The demons' biggest threats are the Class A hunters and the staff, along with the headmaster of course. However, they plan to divide and conquer using massive diversion in a village far from the Academy. A diversion so dire that the Academy will have no choice but to send a large force of hunters there. That is how they will terminate the Class A threat. As for the headmaster, when they invade, a special group of demons will have the task of locating and capturing two specific hunters."

"Oh God..." Yao inhaled sharply, and Kiku paled, knowing where this was going.

"Yes, the headmaster's grandsons," Occultus nodded, "The will use the two as hostages, and force the headmaster to surrender, and then kill him before he can use his Purifying Light to decimate the demon army."

Gilbert's heart skipped a beat, and a lump formed in his throat. The only reason Illedris knew about the Vargas twins was because of him, and now she would use that knowledge to strike down the headmaster. It was all his fault...

"Most of the demons will attack the front of the school," Occultus informed them, "Except for another special group that will come from behind. And they also plan on using their spy to open the gates for them, though I suppose that isn't going to happen. Either way, they can always force their way inside, and once inside, it'll be a feeding frenzy on the mundane students in the dorms. If they can successfully exterminate the headmaster and send the Class A hunters away, the Academy's downfall is certain."

"You're missing a detail," Alfred added, "When?"

Occultus smirked, "Two days. They attack when the sun goes down."

"Two days?!" Arthur exclaimed, shocked.

"_Verdammt_," Gilbert cursed. That was a lot sooner than they thought.

"Yes, they were hoping to catch the hunters severely by surprise," Occultus chuckled. "Well, that question is answered. But...I can see many other questions floating in your minds." His violet eyes flickered to Yao curiously. "If you have something to ask, now is the time."

There was a pause. Then Yao stepped forward, "I have something to ask."

"I know," Occultus simpered, "You want to know where your brother's soul is. And I indeed know the answer. But that is one of the most guarded secrets on the planet. It will cost you heavily."

Yao bit his lip, "What's your price?"

The demon laughed ominously. "I could charge you a whole soul for such a secret, but I already know none of you are willing to pay that price. And because the blue-eyed one showed me mercy, I'll give you a discount. I ask only for one soul fragment: hope."

Yao hesitated for a brief moment, before opening his mouth, probably to agree to that term, when Kiku cut him off.

"Don't," he said sternly. "Even that price is much too high."

"It's just one fragment," Occultus rolled his eyes, "Who needs hope anyway?"

"If that's what it takes to find Tao," Yao maintained obdurately. "Then I have to."

"But you do need hope," Alfred frowned. "We all do."

"He's right," Arthur nodded. "You can't fight demons without hope. If you don't have the counterweight of despair and fear, then you'll never survive battle."

"Please think about what Tao would say if he could," Kiku insisted. "You know he would be disappointed in you for giving up a piece of your soul."

Yao thoughts were confused and tangled, and he even looked on the verge of desperation, but Arsian put a calm hand in his shoulder. "We'll find him one day, Yao, but we'll do it without a demon's help." As Yao glanced up at him, an understanding passed between and finally Yao nodded.

"You humans are more intriguing than I thought possible," Occultus speculated. The demon suddenly turned toward Gilbert. "Then how about you? I know you have a question just waiting to be asked. Why don't you ask it, and then I'll name my price."

Gilbert almost refused, since he felt he had no right to ask his question if the demon wasn't going to answer Yao's, but Elizaveta gave his hand a slight, yet confident squeeze, telling him to do it. "Is there a way to free myself from the soul deal without losing my soul or my brother?"

Occultus smirked. "A soul deal has never been successfully broken before. In fact, most demons deem such a feat is impossible. But I know otherwise. There is a way, but that knowledge will cost you dearly. How much are you willing to pay?"

Rolling his eyes, Gilbert exasperated, "If you want a soul fragment, hell, I'll give you the part of my soul with the deal on it! As a matter of fact, take it! Is that your _solution_?"

Occultus blinked, astonished by Gilbert's demeanor. Then the demon laughed, "Beilschmidt, is it? Well, aren't you an interesting hunter! No, that is not my solution, and I already know you aren't going to pay my price. But I like you, I know your past and your hardship, and I must say, I really am impressed. Your secrets and your family's secrets have made these past years fascinating. So I'll tell you what, I'll give you a hint."

With that, Occultus pointed a finger at Alfred, halfsmiling, "This one knows your solution."

"I do?" Alfred frowned, furrowing his brow in perplexity.

Occultus nodded haughtily, while Gilbert stared at Alfred in surprise. However, the demon was already moving on, "All right, there is one more question that can't stay bottled in, isn't that right, Jones?"

Everyone else gave Alfred a puzzled look, but the American lowered his gaze. "There is, but I'm not paying any part of my soul for it."

"That's fine," the demon shrugged, "Because I'll give it to you for free."

"Free? What's the catch?" Kiku narrowed his eyes.

"What ever do you mean?" Occultus asked innocently. "Just trying to help the one that had the heart to spare me." But Gilbert could tell something was up, that the demon had specious motives.

"I have to know," Alfred spoke up, determined, "Who killed my father? Which demon was it?"

The demon leered at him as he replied, "Why do you assume it was a demon? Because the truth is that it wasn't. The one who killed him was you."

"Wh-what?!" Alfred sputtered, taking a step back in shock. "B-but I was only two when he died!"

"Your uncontrollable power was deadly from the moment you were born. Your father was killed by his only son, by a blast so powerful it could level a house to the ground."

"You're lying!" Arthur cried angrily.

"Yeah," Gilbert growled, "Free information, huh? Bullshit!"

"Oh, it's true, alright," Occultus chortled, "Why do you think the reapers are so suspicious of him? They don't just think he's too dangerous, they know it! And he knows it." The demon was eying Alfred peculiarly, as if observing his reaction with curiosity.

Alfred's shoulders were trembling. His expression was unreadable. Seeing that his work here was done, Occultus waved goodbye, "Until next time, hunters. Give Illedris my sincerest regards." Laughing hauntingly, the light from the runes began to fade, and the demon sank into the ground, phasing out of sight, until the runes were nothing but chalk on the chamber floor.

Meanwhile, everyone was staring at Alfred in shock this time. Gilbert wanted to tell him that it was all a lie, that the demon was just messing with his head, but then...was it a lie? Everything made sense. The seal, the compromise...

Alfred collapsed to his knees, and struck the ground with his fist, tears falling from his eyes. His whisper was broken, and full of despair and grief.

"Did I...did I really kill him...?"

No...that can't be...

But...

"Am I...a murderer?"

* * *

From the Author: ...

Arsian is Mongolia, Occultus is Latin for secrets, or hidden, Tao is Hong Kong

Just an FYI, I can no longer guarantee another chapter every Friday, though I promise I will try my very hardest to update weekly. I apologize for any inconveniences. Thanks for understanding!

Anyone out there who still thinks I'm not twisted after that last bit? ...yeah, didn't think so. But now you guys have a little more information and foreshadow to think about! Or you can wait until next chapter to see what happens next~ But if you do have any guesses, opinions, or even questions, I'd love to hear them! I can tell that some of you can already foresee major events to come ;)

Anyways, thanks so much for reading, faving, following, and reviewing! Until next chapter!


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: Who owns Hetalia? Well, certainly not me!

* * *

"Do you think he's going to be okay?" Elizaveta frowned in concern, looking back the way they came. After Occultus disappeared, Kiku wisely suggested that they leave Alfred alone, giving him some time to sort out his thoughts. So the six of them headed back to Arsian's house, leaving Alfred at the cave for some space. Gilbert didn't really want to leave him behind, but there was nothing he could say that could make Alfred feel better. He knew that the American didn't want their pity right now.

"He just needs some time to think," Yao sighed sadly.

"I hope he'll be okay," she pursed her lips.

"Me too," Gilbert murmured under his breath.

* * *

Alfred was sitting at the mouth of the cave, staring into the starry sky above, his eyes red and swollen, his head throbbing, and his heart aching within his chest. He hugged his knees loosely, as if gathering himself up to conserve warmth, but nothing he did now could make the sharp coldness within go away. His mind had gone numb a while ago, unable to withstand the pain and overwhelming distress.

Once he realized he could not deny what Occultus had said, he lost himself in the torrent of despair and dementia. How...how could he keep living now? Knowing that he was some sort of...killer...

All of his senses seemed to be fading, until he could barely register any sort of feeling. Perhaps that was the only way to do with this kind of unrelenting agony. To stop feeling anything at all.

That's when a figure stepped out from the darkness of the surrounding forest. When Alfred finally glanced up, he blinked, so surprised that it seemed he had been almost reawakened from his listless state. "Mom? What are you doing here?"

Akira's expression was sad, and melancholy. "Call it a mother's instinct," she said softly, "I can tell when something's so wrong with my baby."

"H-how can you call that, how can you look at me, after what I've done?" he stammered, voice cracking.

"So you found out," Akira exhaled despondently. "I'm sorry I kept the truth from you but you didn't need to know."

"Didn't need to know that I'm nothing but a monster!" Alfred burst out suddenly, his eyes wild, "I-I was so sure that a demon was responsible for my father's death, but it was all my fault! I was supposed to avenge him, but it was me who killed him! Juan was right about me. I should have been killed after...he died..."

"Alfred!" Akira exclaimed firmly, "Don't speak like that! You aren't a monster. If it's anyone's fault your father's dead, it's mine. When you were born, your soul contained what seemed like limitless power. But it's massive amount of energy attracted all sorts of demons. I couldn't protect you because of the mandate, one of my deepest regrets, but I was already being closely watched because of my previous violations. Your father had the task of raising and protecting you by himself. Demon after demon came after you, but your father was an incredible demon hunter, and kept you safe for two years, while I did my best to convince the other reapers you were no danger."

"Except I am a danger," Alfred countered sullenly.

"Let me finish," she waved off tersely, "But when you were two, a pack of canine demons attacked you and your father in your home. Your father fought bravely, and he was prepared to do anything to keep you alive, but there were too many of them. It was impossible to defeat them all. You...you were frightened, and too young to control your powers or know what you were doing."

"So that's when I..."Alfred trailed off, closing his eyes.

Akira nodded, "You released a blast of energy that wiped out all the demons at once..."

"And my father," Alfred finished.

"My son, you are no murderer, no monster," Akira maintained confidently, "I was the one who collected your father's soul that day, and there were no negative feelings. He was so happy that you survived, and loved you until the very end, and beyond his death. Sulking like this only disgraces his memory. Your friends need you right now, Alfred. The Academy needs you. Now go and make your father proud."

Alfred got to his feet, a faint smile on his lips, "You're right! We have less than forty eight hours until the demons attack, I can't be wasting time like this! Thanks for setting me straight, Mom, and I promise I won't let you down!" With that, he embraced the reaper, who, quite frankly, didn't see it coming, in a tight hug. She was startled at first, having been previously forbidden from seeing her son, and therefore never came close to embracing him. But after a second, she smiled warmly and hugged him back. When Alfred finally pulled away, the reaper was glad to see his upbeat grin again and his blue eyes alight with resolute tenacity.

As her son took off into the forest, determined to make up for lost time, Akira watched him go until he was out of sight, then began to shimmer and fade, having faith that humanity was in good hands.

* * *

The other hunters were lingering around the porch steps of Arsian's home, waiting. They decided they would give Alfred another fifteen minutes before going back to get him and departing for the Academy. Conversation was at a minimum, the information that Occultus had given then was still weighing heavily on all of them. Gilbert sat on the front steps, a number of unsettling doubts swimming within his mind, as Gilbird rested upon his head. When he felt his bird awake and move about lethargically, Gilbert held out his hand, and the chick fluttered down softly, and chirped sleepily.

"That's an interesting bird you've got there," Arsian remarked, and Gilbert could tell from his tone of voice that he knew. But he shouldn't have been surprised, since the Mongolian could see essences so keenly.

Arsian's comment drew everyone else's attention to Gilbird, and Kiku regarded the chick quizzically for a moment, until realization sprang into his eyes. "I can't believe I didn't notice before," he murmured incredulously, still eying Gilbird. "His essence is so small that I must have overlooked it this whole time..."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Elizaveta frowned in puzzlement.

"Don't tell me..." Yao blinked, astonished, "Your bird isn't an ordinary bird, now is it?"

"Well, um...how to put this," Gilbert started sheepishly.

"You aren't saying that that thing is a demon?" Arthur gawked. "This whole time?!"

Gilbert could sense the suspicion growing around him, and held Gilbird away from the others, glaring at them pointedly, "So maybe he is, but he's harmless. In fact, he's practically in the same boat as I am, tied to a master against our will."

"Don't worry, we won't kill him, aru," Yao waved off. "I don't think any of us could hurt something so cute."

"What...what do you feed it?" Kiku asked uneasily. "Demons need souls to sustain themselves in the mortal world, don't they?"

"Actually," Gilbert scratched his head, now that he thought about it, "I've never had to feed Gilbird before. He's just kind of...there, I guess." But Kiku did have a point. How did Gilbird sustain himself if he never devoured souls?

Arsian raised an eyebrow. "You don't know? I assumed you were aware since you kept the chick with you this whole time..."

"Aware of what?"

"Your demon bird has been feeding off your emotions," Arsian explained, "I can see it."

"Really?" Gilbert exclaimed, giving his yellow buddy a dubious look. Gilbird just chirped lazily.

"In fact, he's been feeding on them a little more every day you spend in the warped space," Arsian nodded, "Since he's a demon, he also grows weaker in this region, that's why he moves slower here. But it doesn't affect your soul in any noticeable ways. Do you ever notice how he seems to reflect your own emotions? It's like a side effect from that kind of feeding. It reminds of a mutual symbiosis, in a way."

"Can all demons do that?" Arthur asked curiously.

"No, but his essence is small enough that he can sustain himself on simple emotions," the Mongolian said matter-of-factly, "If he were any bigger, he'd need to consume souls."

"How about that," Gilbert muttered, smirking down at Gilbird. Even his chick was awesome like that, a demon who could get along with a demon hunter!

Just then, the sound of twigs snapping underfoot came from the way they had come, and a few moments later, Alfred appeared, running out of the forest, panting. "A-alright, guys," he huffed, "The hero is ready to save the Academy!"

"Glad to see you're feeling like your old self," Gilbert grinned.

"In that case," Arthur said, standing up, "It's time to warn the Academy, as soon as possible. If we don't leave now, we'll never make the journey in time." He turned to Arsian, and shook his hand like any esteemed gentleman would, "Thanks for everything, we are in your debt."

Yao also got to his feet and embraced his old friend briefly. When they exchanged ephemeral looks, an understanding passed between them, and Gilbert guessed that it was a type of goodbye that couldn't be put into words. Then Arsian addressed them as a group, "I wish you all the best of luck. I would come with you if I could, but I have to remain here and guard this place. May fate be in your favor."

Alfred chuckled softly, "We're about to find out."

* * *

Romulus had a lot on his mind this particular morning. Being the headmaster and all, it was to be expected that there would be much on his plate, with his responsibilities to both the mundane students and the demon hunting ones, but today, well, to put it bluntly, there was a hell of a lot of doubts churning within him. So much so, that he couldn't help but pace around the circular room restlessly, trying not to let the stress get to him. But how could he not?

There was just something...so off, so _wrong_, he could feel it in his very bones, but he couldn't name what it was or why he felt that way. However, he did know that calamity was on its way. Whatever it was, it spelt bad, bad news for the Academy, he could tell from the darkness that seemed to building up on the horizon. Others would call him crazy for claiming that the darkness was coming, since the atmosphere around the school seemed to be perfectly fine, but Romulus knew better. He could sense whenever such tragedy was on its way; he could not explain how or why, but he had always suspected it had something to do with his so-called blessing, his angels' gift.

And if the terrible sensation tugging at his gut weren't bad enough, nothing else was going right either. Five Class A demon hunters were missing, three of them having gone after Gilbert, who was a whole other headache that he really didn't need right now, and the other two having been sent to slay Orexis. What had happened to them? Were they all right? Had any of them...perished?

And then there was yesterday's situation. Romulus came to a halt, and slammed both hands on his desk in frustration. This feeling of utter dread would not go away! Did he make a mistake yesterday? But what else was he supposed to do?

His thoughts were shattered when suddenly the double doors to his office flew open, and he whirled around to see Laura, breathing heavily as if she had sprinted all the way over here, a stricken expression on her face. "Laura? What are you doing up so early? Class does start for another hour still. What's wrong?"

She pointed out the door, towards the front of the campus, still catching her breath. "Mr. Karpusi sent me..." she huffed, "Since he had to open the front gate for them...They're back!"

"They? Who's they?" Romulus inquired.

"Kiku and Alfred and Elizaveta, Arthur and Yao," Laura explained urgently, "And they've brought Gilbert back with them!"

"What?" Romulus inhaled sharply. In all honesty, he didn't know what to think. He was relieved to hear that his students were okay, but now that Gilbert was back, the Council would want his immediate execution, and he wasn't sure if he could work his way around that one.

Then Heracles appeared in the doorway, following by six hunters, the ones Laura had just named, and Romulus could see the gravity of the situation from their faces. His gaze quickly settled on Gilbert, meeting his steady red eyes, still trying to discern his intentions. The albino didn't appear roughed up, nor resentful, so he concluded that he had returned of his own will, even knowing his death sentence. Furthermore, Romulus took careful note of the others' positioning in regards to Gilbert; Alfred, Yao, Kiku, Arthur, and Elizaveta were all walking around him, almost as if shielding him, subtly yet clearly making a statement.

"So why are you here?" Romulus asked, maintain a steely calm demeanor, while reading his students'. His question was directed at Gilbert, and he eyed him expectantly, as did Laura and Heracles. "Why come back?"

"The Academy's in trouble," Gilbert responded firmly, cutting right to the chase, "And I mean _big_ trouble. An army of demons are planning to storm the campus tonight at sundown."

"What?!" Laura exclaimed, shocked. "That can't be! Demons...demons don't work together!"

"It's true," Kiku affirmed, "All of us have confirmed it. The demons have been forming alliances this whole time."

"Under...under my master," Gilbert added, although it pained him to say it. But they needed to know, and they needed to know how serious the situation was.

Heracles glanced over at Romulus, "You don't seem all that surprised."

The headmaster took a shaky breath, before answering, "I could sense something was severely wrong, but...I never imagined on a scale like this, though I should have known."

"We need prepare for an invasion," Arthur spoke up, "Or else the school will be destroyed."

"Of course, I believe you," Romulus nodded, though an acute sense of dread still held his heart, but he tried not to show it. "Heracles, we need to evacuate the mundane students, that is our first priority. Get as many of them on the subway as possible. Can we clear them all out by this evening?"

Heracles nodded, but he looked doubtful, "They'll want to know why. We need to tell them something."

"I know. Announce that there has been a major gas leak on the school's campus, and standard protocol in case of an emergency requires that all students must exit the campus until the leak has been thoroughly investigated and repaired. That should give us enough time."

He nodded, "Right." Without wasting another moment, Heracles disappeared from the room in a hurry.

"And the demon hunters? We're going to need everyone from Class A ready to battle, aru," Yao stated earnestly, but the headmaster looked away, his expression unreadable.

"There is no one else from Class A on campus that can fight," he told them grudgingly. "All of them that were able went on a rescue mission in a village far south, as did Sadik."

Alfred cursed. "We didn't come back in time to warn you of the diversion," he griped. "Can you call them back here? We need every hunter we can get!"

"No, I'm afraid we can't. Even if I could, they would never make it back on time, since they're too far away. And we can't forsake the village. Diversion or not, those are innocent victims that need dire help," Romulus shook his head. "But, I fear that I sent too few..."

"How many went?" Kiku inquired.

"Just five. Sadik, Kim, Ivan, Yong Soo, and Natalya."

"That's it?" Gilbert blinked. It was supposed to be a massive diversion, intended for all the Class A students to go, however, the demons didn't anticipate the six of them to get word from Occultus of their plans.

"They can do it," said Arthur confidently, "They're some of the best demon hunters in the country. As for the invasion, we'll have to pull fighters from Class B and C, then."

At this Elizaveta perked up noticeably, "Yeah, all our Classes can combine strengths to defend the school."

"But is it enough?" Yao asked a bit worriedly. Even Gilbert was having his own doubts. He had counted on the rest of Class A to make a solid team to keep the monsters at bay, but their numbers and skill had been cut virtually in half.

"It has to be," Arthur nodded. "We have no other choice in the matter."

"He's right," Romulus said seriously, "We need to start preparing. Yao, Kiku, Elizaveta, alert all the demon hunters in the dorms and tell them to report to the Gym right away."

* * *

Roderich tapped his finger on the bleacher impatiently, and somewhat nervously. Something really bad was going on, he just knew it. Ever since the rest of Class A had gone away, he could feel distress tugging at the back of his mind. Since none of his fellow Class B students had been given an assignment, they should all be safe right? So why was he so fretful this morning?

Being called into the Hunter's Gym so early in the morning was another bad sign that didn't do anything but worsen his nerves. All of the Class B students were present, sitting in the bleachers with him and chattering away, as well as the Class C students. There were a little less than forty people seated inside. It could have been any normal assembly, except for that Roderich had noticed that Dr. Zwingli and Lili were here as well. Why would they been called in too? And where was the headmaster anyway, or Mr. Karpusi for that matter? Shouldn't they be here already, tell them what was going on? Roderich couldn't even spot Laura, his fellow Class B representative.

"Roderich, did you hear?" Someone tapped his shoulder from behind, and Roderich turned around to see Alice, Mathew, and Mei sitting in the row behind him. Even Lars, Antonio, and Lovino came down from a few rows above to join their conversation, all of them sensing the strange atmosphere around the Academy. It was Alice who had spoken. "I saw Mr. Karpusi rushing around this morning in front of the cafe, telling mundane students that were passing by to quickly gather their essentials and head to the subway for evacuation."

"What?" Roderich exclaimed, astonished. "Why?"

"I couldn't hear why, but...he seemed pretty serious," Alice shivered.

"What the fuck is going on?" Lovino muttered, but Antonio just shook his head in confusion.

"Look, there's the headmaster!" Mei pointed toward the entrance, where Mr. Vargas was just coming in. Mathew shuddered next to her. "What's wrong?" she asked in concern.

"The headmaster...he feels strained, and tense," Mathew murmured, and Roderich knew he was feeling the headmaster's emotions through his own soul skill. Something was off...

The headmaster moved to stand before the bleachers, in the center of the gym, where he could easily be seen by everyone. As soon as he cleared his throat, the room fell silent. Roderich always admired that about the headmaster, that his mere presence could command so much respect, loyalty, and even hope. "I have called you all here today in solemness and regret," he began, instantly and drastically shifting the mood hanging over his audience. "The Academy is in terrible danger. A grave and monstrous threat is on our doorstep, a threat so cataclysmic it could change the course of the history of our country. Demons are preparing to attack our Academy, our home, our family. An army of the wicked will be upon us by sundown, with nothing more than the intention of utter destruction and death."

There was a collective gasp amongst the students, followed by ripples of anxious murmurs that faded out after a tense moment. "H-How do you know?" Mei asked, fear rooting inside of her.

"I can sense a horrible darkness skulking toward our home," Mr. Vargas answered somberly. "But, some of your classmates have uncovered the full truth themselves." As he said this, Alfred, Arthur, Kiku, Yao, Elizaveta, and finally Gilbert filed into the gym and took their place beside their headmaster.

All eyes fell on the albino, who stood stiffly next to Elizaveta, not daring to meet any of their eyes. The response was immediate.

"What is he doing here?!" One student cried out from the bleachers.

"That's the traitor!" Another burst out angrily.

"Is he the reason we're all in danger?!" Still another accused.

Suddenly there were so many voices shouting and yelling that Roderich couldn't tell one from another. He could catch snippets of what some were saying, and he winced.

"He sold his soul to a demon!"

"He's not one of us!"

"He betrayed our trust!"

"He serves the enemy!"

As the outcries grew louder and more chaotic, not even Mr. Vargas could settle them down. Arthur, Alfred, and Yao began to argue back with the crowd, but their efforts were fruitless and they were drowned out.

And yet Gilbert just stood there, unmoving, almost as if frozen.

A worried expression on her face, Elizaveta took Gilbert's hand into hers, her eyes sincerely concerned. "Don't listen to them, Gil-"

"It's okay, Lizzie," Gilbert told her softly, though he sounded hollow. "I did this...I brought this on myself. I didn't expect their forgiveness. I don't deserve it, and I don't blame them."

"He's a tainted soul!"

"He's not a true demon hunter!"

"Will all of you just _BE QUIET_!" Roderich's voice rang out, so suddenly, and miraculously, everyone was stunned into silence once more, surprised to hear Roderich of all people shouting back at them. But he had finally snapped, outraged by their impulsive, myopic accusations. The Austrian was on his feet now, reprimanding his classmates heatedly. "Don't you dare jump to conclusions so easily! I mean, we should know by now that everything is never as it seems! Gilbert has proven to us on more than several occasions that he is willing to shed his blood and sacrifice himself for his friends and his family, just like the rest of us! In fact, he has shed his own blood, sweat, and tears fighting demons, just like the rest of us. That's what makes him a demon hunter. None of you can ever understand what he was forced to go through, and perhaps he even has more reason to hate demons than most of the rest of us! Did any of you consider why he came back, even after he was sentenced to death? That kind of courage, doesn't that count for anything anymore? We have to hear him out. And although Gilbert can be a bit...insufferable at times, I believe in him, as a demon hunter, and a friend."

When Roderich finally sat down again, he was breathing hard, and his fists were clenched, but Antonio gave him a thumbs up, while Alice smiled at him. Gilbert, on the other hand, could barely process everything that he had said, and was currently staring at the Austrian open-mouthed with wide eyes in disbelief. And nobody else said another word.

"Now then," Mr. Vargas began again, after sending a fleeting wink of gratification toward Roderich, "The darkness that is upon us is no passing matter. Demons are powerful foes, and I know many of you must be scared. But if demons are so strong, with powers that transcend those of mortals, with immortality and paranormal abilities, then why haven't they succeeded in conquering this world yet? The answer is within us. We, as humans, possess something that the demons don't have, something that enables us to draw strength from the very depths of our beings. Throughout history, we have proven that our souls are strong enough to withstand the might of evil, are great enough to stand when the wicked crash down upon us, are valiant enough to find light in the darkest of places. Demon essences do not truly die, but death itself is what makes us so persevering. Death teaches us how precious our lives are, how important it is that we fulfill a life worth living. True, demons are immortal, but without souls and heartbeats, they don't understand the value of love, friendship, and family. They only know greed, pleasure, deception, and destruction. That said, I understand if you do not wish to defend the Academy. By no means are any of you obliged to stay here. But let me tell you this, generations to come will remember this day, the day when evil threatened to overtake justice, courage, and integrity. Let it be remembered not with pity, but with pride."

There was a pause, a stirring one, as the hunters clung to their headmaster's moving words, full of hope and inspiration. Mr. Vargas scanned his students intently, reading the fierce determination arousing within their eyes, then continued, "Those of you who wish to uphold the honor of our Academy, Mr. Karpusi will lead you to the weapons vault under the main office. Pick your weapon of choice, and take the rest of the day to prepare yourself for battle, while your reps and I will discuss strategy. If some of you could help direct mundane students to the subway for evacuation, that would be of grateful assistance. Be ready to receive orders by early evening. Be ready to fight as one, united as allies, as friends, as family."

With that, students began heading down the bleachers, following Mr. Karpusi's lead. Many of them were facing nerve-racking doubt, but as demon hunters, they swallowed their fears for honor, and courage. As Roderich watch them pass by, he could still read the uneasiness, the anxiety, they were trying to hide, and he could not help but form his own doubts. A majority of these hunters rarely got the kinds of assignments that could prepare them for a demon invasion, and many of them had never faced a major demon before. Did they really have what it takes to win? Did they stand a chance against an army?

Whether or not they did, Roderich knew, they had no choice but to stand their ground. He could sense that darkness Mr. Vargas was talking about. He could almost feel death coming. But that didn't matter. Because he, and all of his fellow classmates, were willing to sacrifice everything for each other. Because they were demon hunters of the Venator Academy.

* * *

Gilbert watched as the other students filed out of the gym, but he stayed behind with what was left of Class A and Elizaveta, along with the headmaster. Some other students had decided to linger behind as well. Antonio came up to him first, a warm smile on his face. Lovino trailed behind, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"I'm so glad you're okay, amigo," Antonio grinned, patting Gilbert on the back.

"Thanks, I owe you big time," Gilbert returned the gesture wholeheartedly. "You'd better go if you want a good weapon, though."

"Nah, I keep my personal battle axe under my bed," Antonio winked, "That's all I need! But I should go tell Francis what's going on."

"Where is he, by the way?" Gilbert inquired, knowing that his other friend wasn't one of the five on the rescue mission.

"He just came back from an assignment yesterday," Antonio explained regretfully, "He got injured and right now he's recovering in the infirmary. He can't really fight..."

"Oh," he frowned back, "Then I guess he'll have to stand by and wait things out in the city where he can't get hurt."

"He's not going to like that," Antonio sighed. "But it can't be helped."

Gilbert was about to say something more, when two more joined their conversation, and Gilbert's stomach practically flipped at the sight of him. Ludwig and Feliciano stood before him, the blonde with that uncompromising look in his eyes, his lips set straight into a thin line. "L-Luddy," Gilbert stammered, "What are you doing here? This assembly was for demon hunters..." Suddenly the albino was worried about everything he had heard, about the invasion, and all those things people had been shouting at him when he walked in the gym.

"Feliciano told me about the assembly, so I came with him," Ludwig answered tersely. He narrowed his eyes, and Gilbert could almost see the anger he was restraining. It was the first time they had seen each other since Gilbert's secret had been revealed, and Gilbert was nervous as hell. What was he thinking? Was he ashamed of his older brother? Was he disgusted? Infuriated? Appalled? Gilbert couldn't help but remember the devastated look on the younger's face in the gym that day, when he learned about the soul deal with everyone else.

The soul deal. That corrupting nexus on his soul had ruined the one thing he had left since his parents died, the bond between him and his brother. But suddenly, he remembered why he had made that deal in the first place. Even if Ludwig hated him now, Gilbert had to do whatever it took to keep him safe. Otherwise, his life would have been meaningless. "Ludwig," he said austerely, his expression hardening, "You shouldn't be here. You need to leave right now on the subway with the other mundane mortals. Get far away from this place."

"_What_?!" Ludwig exclaimed, unable to contain his emotions any longer. "After...after everything that's happened, you're telling me to run away?! That's the only thing you have to say to me?!"

"Well, what else am I supposed to say?! That I'm sorry?" Gilbert shot back, his own voice rising, "You and I both know that isn't going to cut it anyway!" Everyone else could feel the tension between the two brothers, and shifted uncomfortably, unsure what to do, but neither brother was paying them any attention anymore.

"Don't apologize," Ludwig shook his head, regaining his composure, but he was evidently strained and cross. "Just tell me why! Why did you do it? And why didn't you tell me? I-I could have helped you somehow-"

"No, you couldn't," he stopped him curtly, leaving no room for argument. "You know why I did it, and why I couldn't tell you. I knew that if you knew you'd tried to take some of the responsibility, or get yourself involved somehow, and I didn't want that for you! I didn't want you get tangled up in my mess. When we were little, I promised you I'd protect you, and I meant it!"

"But I'm not a little kid anymore," Ludwig exasperated indignantly. "I don't need you to protect me anymore! Things are different now. We can protect each other."

"Luddy..." Gilbert trailed off, his red eyes weary. "You're right, you don't need my protection anymore, and that's awesome, I mean it. That's why I can bring myself to tell you to get out of here. Staying here would be pointless for you. You're not a hunter, and you're not good enough to fight demons right now. If you stay here, I won't be able to fight either. Even though I know you can handle yourself, I also know that no matter what, I'll be distracted by the thought of you being on the battlefield, and distractions like that are dangerous. You'll be helping me more by leaving."

"But-"

"And the mundane students are going to need someone to calm things down," Gilbert continued, cutting him off before he could begin. "You'll be able to lead them in the city and keep order. You're good at that, at keeping order."

"But I can't just leave all of you!" Ludwig shook his head, gritting his teeth. Gilbert's insides were beginning to twist, realizing that it would be virtually impossible to get his brother off the campus before this evening. Why was the only trait they had in common their pigheadedness?!

"Ludwig, actually, I have a special job in mind for you," Mr. Vargas suddenly interjected, halfsmiling. "I need you to watch over Feliciano while he's in the city."

"In the city?" Feliciano repeated, doubtful, "But-"

"Yes, the city," Mr. Vargas put his hand up, silencing him, "I need you to evacuate too, Feli. You know you have a hard time fighting, and for the same reasons Gilbert mentioned, I can't fight and worry about you too. So, Ludwig, what do you say? Can you watch over my grandson for me?"

"I..." Ludwig stammered, stunned by the sudden request. Finally, he relaxed his shoulders and nodded. "Ja, I will." Gilbert exhaled with relief. Ludwig was going to be safe in the city. His greatest fear was put to rest for now.

"And you need to leave to, Lovino," the headmaster stated pointedly at his other grandson.

"What?! No fucking-" Lovino started angrily, before he stopped himself, seeing his grandfather's unyielding, demanding look. "Fine," he grumbled, turning away in frustration.

"Right then," Mr. Vargas nodded, "You three go toward the subway and help direct mundane students off campus and to the city. The rest of you, come with me. We have some tactics to discuss before the battle starts."

Gilbert watched Ludwig go, trying to suppress the ache in his heart. His whisper was barely there. "Goodbye, little brother."

* * *

Evening was quickly falling upon the Academy. Now that they had finished polishing up the last ends of their strategy and battle plans, there were a few things left Gilbert had to do before the fighting started. Elizaveta had gone down to the weapons vault to help distribute weapons to the lower Classes, making sure each hunter had a blade that suited them just right, and so this was the perfect time to go talk to that someone the albino had been meaning to talk to for a while.

He found Roderich in the Class B classroom, and he was alone, to his surprise. "Hey, what are you doing in here all by yourself?" Gilbert asked curiously, coming into the room.

"Just clearing my head and mentally preparing for the battle," Roderich replied, taking a deep breath. "It really does help. But why are you here?"

"I...I needed to talk to you first," Gilbert sighed, awkwardly trying to find the words to express his thoughts. "I guess I should start by...by saying thanks for what you did in the gym. That was...awesome of you. But that's not why I came to talk to you."

"I thought so," Roderich nodded. "Something's wrong. What is it?"

"It's about Elizaveta. You and I both know that we both care about her, a lot."

"Are we really having this conversation right now? We can deal with this after the invasion!"

"No, just hear me out, will you?" Gilbert exasperated. "I'm relieved to know that you still care about her, actually." Roderich raised his eyebrow at this, but he continued, "I just want her to be happy, and I know that I can count on you to be there for her when all this is over. Just...I just want you to promise me you'll help her...recover after the invasion."

"Recover? Why...why do you sound like you know you're going to die?" Roderich asked softly, regarding Gilbert in a strange manner.

"Let's be real, Roderich," Gilbert sighed, looking away. "No matter how this plays out tonight, there is no ending where I live. The soul deal will pull me into the Underworld whether we win tonight or not. I just...didn't want Elizaveta to think about that, but I don't want to leave her alone. And I won't be. I know you can give her everything she'll ever want."

"Everything except you," the Austrian muttered heatedly. "Look, Gilbert, I know she loves you. She as good as told me when she left the Academy to go after you. And you're right that I still care about her, and I don't want anything to hurt her. And by dying, you'll be hurting her. Your death would _crush_ her."

"It's not like I have a choice here!" Gilbert retorted, his temper matching Roderich's rising one. "If I could stay, I would!"

"What's the matter with you? Don't make me regret standing up for you in the gym. Don't say talk like that! I actually learned to respect you, despite your self-centered demeanor, because of your determination to protect those you care about, but now..." Roderich faltered, leaving his sentence incomplete, a certain melancholy in his eyes.

Gilbert's expression softened when he saw this. "You think I'm giving up on life, don't you? Well, don't you worry, Roddy, because if I'm going to die, I'm going to die as me. And the awesome Gilbert Beilschimdt always goes out with a bang!"

Roderich lightened up a little, seeing Gilbert' genuine grin. "Only you can talk like that in the face of death."

Gilbert winked, smirking, "It ain't easy being this awesome, that's for sure." Then, the two shook hands, a simple, yet profound understanding passing between them. Gilbert was surprised to realize how much he would miss the uptight Austrian, but he truly was glad to know that he was leaving Elizaveta in good hands.

* * *

Lili scrambled through the white halls of the Academy's infirmary. Finally, she reached the room she was looking for, and threw the door open, panting. Francis sat on the bed by himself, stretching, and tying his hair back. "Francis! Why are you still here?" she demanded, frowning in concern. "You were supposed to evacuate two hours ago with the rest of the patients! Now there's only one subway ride left before the sun goes down, and it's already really packed. It leaves in ten minutes! This is your last chance to get out of here, so let's go!"

Francis smiled at her knowingly, and shook his head. "I'm not leaving. I'm staying here and defending our home with the rest of my friends. But if it's the last ride, then you should hurry and get out of here. You don't want to be here when the demons arrive."

"But you can't stay! You can't fight yet, you're still recovering," Lili insisted ardently.

"It's okay, I took enough painkillers to last me the night, _mon cher_. I feel just fine," Francis reassured her. "Either way, you can't convince me to leave. My friends need me tonight, and I can't abandon them."

Lili was about to argue some more, when Vash appeared in the doorway. "Lili, it's okay, Francis has decided he's going to stay. But you need to get out of here. There's barely enough room on the subway to fit you in." Lili nodded, and tentatively followed him out the door, throwing one last glance back at Francis. Then she hurried down the hall, trying to keep up with Vash.

"Wait, there's one more person!" Lili suddenly exclaimed, coming to a halt.

"What? No there's not," Vash frowned and tilted his head.

"Tao's still in his room," she answered, turning around, before Vash caught her arm.

"Lili, we can't take him. There isn't enough room on subway to bring his life support equipment."

"B-but-"

"There's no time for this, we have to get you on that subway!"

"Wait, you're coming, too, right?" Lili blinked, realization coming over her.

"Er...No, I'm not. The hunters are going to need a medic out there. And I'm the only one who can do it," Vash sighed. "But don't worry about me. Just help me out by getting somewhere safe, okay? I promise I'll come get you as soon as the Academy is secure."

"But I don't want to leave you! I can help out there, too!"

"No!" Vash replied sternly, "It's too dangerous. You'll be more help in the city watching over the patients, okay? They need you, and you can't let them go on their own."

Lili wanted to argue so bad, but she knew her big brother well enough to know that his mind was made up. "O-okay," she nodded finally, before taking off in the direction of the subway station.

"I'll see you again, I know I will," she murmured to herself as she ran, holding back the tears in her eyes. "Big brother..."

* * *

Gilbert found the four standing by the front gate, finishing going through their tactics one last time before the fighting started. The sun was low in the sky, creating a beautiful array of soft purplish-pink streaks across the sky. At least, it would have been beautiful if it didn't remind Gilbert about what little time he had left. Alfred and Arthur looked up when Gilbert ran to them, as did Kiku and Yao. "There you guys are," he said as he caught his breath.

"What's wrong?" Kiku inquired, reading the anxiety in Gilbert's features.

"I just had to talk with you guys one last time before the invasion. It's about my brother," Gilbert explained solemnly. "I'm sorry, but I can't ask this of anyone else. But...you guys will watch over him, right? In my place?"

The four were all astonished at his request, realizing his grim implication about his own fate, and didn't know how to respond, until Alfred clenched his fist, "It's...it's not fair that you should have to ask us to do that for you! There must be some way we can free you first or maybe..."

"It's a little too late for that now," Gilbert said, though he didn't sound dreadful, nor sad nor sullen, but instead appeared confident in accepting what was to come.

"I'm sorry," Alfred's lower lip trembled slightly, "Occultus said that I knew how to save you, but I-I don't know what he was talking about!"

"It's okay, I didn't think you did either," Gilbert waved off indifferently, "Occultus was just trying to screw with us, I think. It doesn't matter now."

"Ludwig will be perfectly safe," Yao assured him, a sadness in his eyes.

"Hai, he's practically one of us now," Kiku nodded.

"Thank you," Gilbert breathed, knowing he could trust his friends to look after his brother in his stead.

"You bloody idiot," Arthur muttered, his shoulders shaking, "Promise me you won't stop fighting, got it? Don't give up because of that deal of yours, because we won't give up on you!"

"Of course not," Gilbert gave him a sincere grin, "Same goes for all of you. We're a family, aren't we?"

Alfred nodded, grinning back at him despite all the reasons to feel hopeless, "A demon hunter family! We live for each other, shed our blood together, and fight as one!"

* * *

The subway was beyond crowded. There was barely room to breathe, at least that's what Michelle thought. She was practically sandwiched between her fellow classmates, and boy, was it uncomfortable. Why the hell did a gas leak have to happen now of all times? Michelle really hated being squeezed into such a tight space, but the teachers had insisted that all the students evacuate the campus by this evening and this was the last ride to the city, which would be departing in about two minutes.

Her thoughts wandered to Francis, and she had the sudden urge to see him and talk to him about what was going on. The last time she saw him was last night, in the infirmary. Apparently on his field trip, he had an accident of some sort, which she never found out the details of, and needed some time to rest and recover. She would have gone to see him earlier today, but she had heard that the patients had been evacuated earlier, and decided she would just meet him in the city. But when Michelle glanced over to her left, she saw a familiar face standing against the wall of the subway cabin. After a few moments of struggling to push past people squished into a jam-packed place, she finally reached her.

"Hey, Lili! I thought everyone from the infirmary left on the earlier ride," Michelle said, startling the girl, who had a very troubled expression on her face.

"Oh, um, I had to finish checking to make sure everyone was out first," Lili answered, twiddling her thumbs nervously.

"That makes sense," Michelle nodded. "So Francis is already there, huh?"

"He's still in the school," Lili replied without thinking. But when she caught herself, it was already too late. Michelle blinked in surprise.

"What? He's still inside? I can't leave without him, not if he's still hurt!" she exclaimed, impulsively making her way through the crowd towards the cabin doors.

"Wait, Michelle!" Lili called after her, but the Seychellois girl didn't look back. Making a split second decision, Lili followed her, trying to catch Michelle before she made a huge mistake.

But it was too late. Michelle got out of the train and headed off deeper into the campus. Lili jumped off the subway a few moments later, but couldn't see the other girl anywhere in sight. Without one last glance at the subway, Lili made a random guess as to the direction Michelle went off in, and ran.

* * *

"Hurry, the last ride is leaving in less than five minutes!" Ludwig urged as he, Feliciano, and Lovino came into the subway station.

However, Lovino didn't budge. "I'm not leaving. No fucking way."

"What? But you said-"

"Look, potato bastard, I lied," Lovino rolled his eyes. "I can't just ditch everyone. As much as the invasion scares the shit out of me, I owe everything to the hunters here. You two go on without me." With that, Lovino turned on his heels and disappeared from the station, leaving Feliciano and Ludwig standing there in doubt.

"Well, what do you think?" Ludwig asked his friend.

"I...I don't want to go, either," Feliciano finally said. "If I left now, I'll regret it for the rest of my life. I won't be able to stop thinking about what I could have done to help my friends."

"If you're staying, then I guess I have to stay, too," Ludwig stated, the faintest of smiles on his lips. "I promised I'd watch over you. But I can do that while we help the others win this battle."

As he spoke, the cabin doors of the subway train slid shut, and in a matter of seconds, the last escape ride from the Academy was gone.

* * *

From the Author: Wow, finally reached this chapter!

Arsian is Mongolia, Akira is Native America, Romulus is Rome, Laura is Monaco, Karpusi is Greece, Roderich is Austria, Alice is Belgium, Lars is Netherlands, Mei is Taiwan, Dr. Zwingli is Swizterland, Lili is Liechtenstein, Tao is Hong Kong, Michelle is Seychelles.

...So many characters in one chapter...

Anyways, sorry for the wait! And I must apologize in advance for this next wait. I'm guessing the next chapter won't be released for another few weeks. I'm really sorry, and I know this is about the worst place I could leave you guys hanging, but it can't be helped since the month of May is about to eat me alive -_-' But I will be sure the update as soon as I can! Thanks for your understanding!

I'm sooo excited for the next couple of chapters! I haven't typed up any action since Orexis's mansion, and I simply can't wait to whip up some more fight scenes for you guys! And you can expect a few plot twists coming your way ;) By the way, while you're here, please feel free to leave a review~

Thanks again for reading, faving, following, and reviewing! It's very much appreciated, and it makes writing for you guys a real pleasure~ Until next chapter!


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: Hetalia. Something that will never be mine!

* * *

Silence. A ringing silence.

Gilbert took another deep breath to maintain a steady heartbeat, clutching his halberd and keeping a strong yet flexible stance, ready for anything. The sun was setting just behind the school, and Gilbert could almost feel the time slipping away. His senses were heightening as apprehension continued to build up within him, and he was sure the others were feeling the same way.

The hunters were fanned out just in front of the Academy's boundary wall, a mixture of Class A, B, and C, a little less than forty of them, each brandishing a weapon and standing by for battle. The last subway ride had already departed, evacuating the last of the mundane students, leaving the rest of the campus grounds virtually empty. Now they just had to hold the fort, so to speak. The iron wrought gate was sealed shut, the headmaster himself guarding the entrance, wielding a double-edged sword with a bronze hilt.

But it was quiet, that ominous quiet just before the battle, and it was maddening. In a matter of a few brief moments, too brief, the sun disappeared, the purple sky darkening quickly. The demons would be here soon. They were coming.

Suddenly, a distinct sound of twigs snapping underfoot cut through the eerie stillness, somewhere within the dark cover of the forest just before them. Gilbert tense, his grip on his weapon tightening, and out of the corners of his eyes saw his fellow hunters do the same. But it was not a demon that stepped out of the forest. Gilbert blinked when he saw the familiar face, holding in one hand a sleek, polished bow, and on his back a quiver full of arrows.

"Arsian?" Yao gaped at his friend. "What are you doing here?!"

The Mongolian gave a small halfsmile. "I'm here to help, of course. I was worried I wouldn't make it in time, but I did." As he spoke, he took his place beside his Chinese friend, and began notching an arrow.

"But, what about your family grounds?" Yao asked, incredulous.

"I decided that this was more important," Arsian waved off. "Hopefully, no demons will notice my absence, but if they do, well, it can't be helped. It hardly seems like a sacrifice when the fate of humanity is at stake, right?"

"Thank you, aru," Yao smiled.

"Yeah, we can always use another hunter," Gilbert grinned.

Abruptly, Arsian jerked his head toward the forest, muscles tensing, raising his bow. Out of the forest leapt a large black panther, with glowing red eyes, and fangs a foot long. But before it could reach any of them, an arrow sprouted from its cranium between its eyes, and it dissolved to dust before it hit the ground.

"Here it comes!" Arthur called, summoning an energy ball to his palm.

Before he even finished speaking, hordes of demons exploded out from the shadows of the trees, snarling, growling, roaring as they charged the Academy. Demons of all kinds had come to attack in masses, intending to finally wipe out the hunters from this region once and for all.

They were severely outnumber, Gilbert could clearly see that. But for some strange reason, he wasn't worried at all anymore, even upon seeing the frightening monsters. Instead, he felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins, his soul energy beginning to spike. He was a demon hunter, and he was born for this. And because who knows why, a excited grin passed over Gilbert's face. He promised Roderich he'd go out with a bang, and maybe it would be fun while it lasted. He might as well enjoy the little time he had left.

When his allies began charging to engage the demon army, Gilbert let out a battle cry along with them, until finally, his halberd met the claws of another monster, and the battle began.

* * *

With lightning fast reflexes, Kim whirled around and drove her spear into the raptor's throat before it could sink its teeth into her flesh. The reptile let out a raspy scream as it began to turn into nothing but ashes. But Kim didn't waste any time to savor her small victory; before the raptor was completely gone, she was already pulling out her spear to face down another demon, one that took the form of large beetle, with its tough exoskeleton. Luckily for Kim, she knew exactly how to deal with these kinds of demons. As the beetle snapped at her with its enormous pinchers, she launched herself upward, just high enough to avoid being cut in half, then used the beetle's pinchers as a springboard to jump even higher. As she fell, she brought her spear down with extra alacrity, driving the tip into one of the tiny chinks in its armor. The beetle screeched and tried to buck Kim off its back, but the damage was already done, its limbs sifting away into dirt.

To her left, Yong Soo was finishing off a coyote demon, plunging his dagger into the back of its neck. "That makes eighteen so far," he announced, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"This is no time for games!" Kim chided quickly, before turning to take on yet another creature of evil. And it really wasn't, or at least it shouldn't be. The village had been in the midst of a major demon attack when they arrived at the scene, and most of the mundane mortals had already been slaughtered, save for those who were lucky enough to escape, and those who were still trying to escape. The scene around them was chaotic; screams could be heard throughout the area, smoke pillowed up from buildings on fire, and atrocious demons were running amuck in the streets, causing as much destruction as possible.

"It's not a game," Yong Soo agreed, slashing his dagger at another foe as he called to her across the street. "I'm just keeping track so that when this is all over, I can prove how much of a better demon hunter I am than the rest of you!"

Despite the gravity of the situation, Kim couldn't help but crack a smile at his words. Only Yong Soo could act like that at a time like this. "If that's the case," she yelled back, "You'll have to do better! I've got twenty-one." She twirled her spear above her head once, before thrusting it into her next opponent, a horned demon that resembled a grizzly bear. The bear roared in pain, the tried to swipe Kim aside with its massive paw, but she ducked, and pushed her spear in further, reducing the monster to oblivion. "Twenty-two."

Just then, Mr. Adnan darted out from around the corner of the street, and ran towards them, calling, "There you two are! C'mon, forget about this part of the town, there's no more humans left alive here. I checked. But on the other side of the village, there might be some survivors. And there are major demons there too."

"Major ones, huh?" Yong Soo grinned, "Good, because I was getting tired of these minor ones."

They followed their instructor through the streets that were littered with debris, and blood. There were corpses too, maimed ones, women and children along with men. Kim forced herself not to pay too much attention to the bodies, but it was still nauseating, and not even Yong Soo's earlier attempts to ease her anxiety could do anything to help that. Instead of becoming more horrified, however, Kim chose to channel those feelings to fuel her own determination to rid the village of these monsters, who would so ruthlessly murder for souls. She glanced over at Yong Soo, and she could see the flash of anger in his own eyes as they witnessed the atrocities of the massacre. He tried to hide it most of the time under his happy-go-lucky personality, but Kim would catch the suppressed rage when he thought she wasn't looking. And she also knew that it was a constant reminder of his own family's deaths every time, so she never brought it up with him and pretended not to notice.

As they ran, Kim noticed the fire blazing from Mr. Adnan's fist, but that didn't surprise her, since it probably resulted from his soul skill. She had always been amazing by her teacher's complex ability to mimic any essence's power, demon or hunter, and use it for his own combat. All the Turkish man had to do was see the essence and he could copy its power as long as it was in his range, and if he came in contact with the essence, he could use its power for as long as he wanted until he decided to copy another skill. It was a one-at-a-time kind of thing, but it was extremely useful. So Kim assumed that he had beat a fire demon and mimicked its power. Mr. Adnan was even wearing his mysterious white mask today, as he usually did on official missions.

"Ivan and Natalya are already there," he explained as they rounded another street corner. "There's another wave of demons attacking."

"Why are there so many of them?" Yong Soo exclaimed, "Why did so many of them decided to attack this specific village at once?!"

"They obviously coordinated their attacks, but why...?" Kim clenched her jaw.

"I'm not sure, but if my hunch in correct..." Mr. Adnan said eerily. "I have a bad feeling about this."

* * *

Ludwig could hear the sounds of battle resounding from just outside the campus boundaries. Roaring, yelling, clanging, snarling. It sent shivers down his spine as he and Feliciano made their way across the school, Feliciano leading the way towards the main office.

"I hope everyone's all right," Feliciano bit his lip worriedly, but he didn't stop moving forward.

"I'm sure they're doing fine. They're all great warriors," Ludwig muttered, but it sounded as if he was just trying to convince himself that. _Brother_, he thought to himself, _please be safe_.

Finally, the two reached the Academy's main office building, and Feliciano dashed inside, Ludwig not far behind him. The Italian student took a few turns down the halls at what seemed to Ludwig to be at random, but sure enough, Feliciano yanked opened a door that revealed a stairway that led down deeper under the building. Without another moment's hesitation, he began to descend down as quickly as possible without losing his balance and tripping. The stairway was lined with torches that dimly lit the path, just enough so that they could see a few feet ahead of them, until finally, another five minutes later, the stairs ended at a metal door with a large circular vault wheel. "The weapons vault," Feliciano exhaled, then grasped one side of the wheel with both hands and tugged with all his might.

It didn't budge, so Ludwig took over, and with one forceful turn of the wheel, the vault's door creaked open. Feliciano unhooked one of the torches from the wall and went inside, using the torch to see what was left inside the wide chamber. To his disappointment, most of the weapons were already taken. There were a couple of rusty swords left scattered across the stone floor, and a pile of opened boxes in the corner.

Ludwig frowned at the lack of choices, and moved over to the stack of boxes and began to rifle through them while Feliciano rummaged through the swords on the ground, looking for a decent one. However, they were mostly dull and lackluster, and he sighed. As if fighting wasn't already hard enough for the Italian...

"Here," Ludwig said, turning around and tossing a sheathed object at his friend. Feliciano almost didn't react in time, barely catching it. He examined the small knife in his hand, removing the sheath carefully. Its blade looked newly sharpened at least, and Feliciano could even glimpse his reflection.

"Thanks, but what about you?" he inquired.

"I found this," Ludwig replied while holding up a coiled, brown leather whip in one hand tentatively. "It's the only other thing that's intact here."

"Do you even know how to use a whip?"

"Not really, but it shouldn't be too hard," the blonde waved off. "I don't know how useful it'll be for slaying demons..."

"That reminds me," Feliciano blinked, realizing he had missed a major detail, "You're only mundane. Your soul isn't strong enough to come in contact with demon essence directly. We need to get you one of Alice's special potions from the secret cabinets in the cafe. It should boost your soul strength for a while, at least until the effects wear off. Your soul would be less likely to get poisoned from touching a demon."

Ludwig tried not to imagine what would happen if he didn't have that potion. "All right, let's get going to the cafe then." Grasping the coiled whip in one hand, he dismissed his doubts as he followed Feliciano back up the stairs.

* * *

The rush of the battle was exhilarating.

Gilbert's heart wouldn't stop pounding inside his chest, sweat beaded his forehead, his breaths were heavy, and all his senses were on high alert. Chaos surrounded him, but his keen impulses kept him alive. His hands firmly clasped the shaft of his weapon, which was constantly changing as he faced new opponents. First it was a spear, sinking deep into the enemy flesh of a jaguar demon, then it was a battle axe, hacking off the limbs of a large lizard-like creature before slashing through its midsection, and then it was a scimitar, slicing through demon hound that had attempted to bite him. Changing weapons so often required Gilbert to rely solely on his instincts, especially with such little time to react in the ever-darkening forest. Demons came in relentless waves, threatening to swarm the campus, should the demon hunters give way under the sheer numbers of the monsters.

They weren't ready to give way, however. The Venator Academy's defenders remained strong, repelling the invasion with everything they had in themselves. Hunters all around Gilbert engaged the wicked creatures with an unbreakable conviction to protect their home. Mr. Karpusi fought like a whirlwind to his left, brandishing his bronze sword with a steely calm expression as he sliced through his foes. Gilbert was initially surprised to see his Greek teacher fighting so well, since he had never seen him in close combat before and assume he was more focused on theoretical concepts. Arsian was on his right, releasing arrow after arrow, each flawlessly piercing its target, reducing them into nothing but ashes and dust. Gilbert could tell that the Mongolian would be out of arrows soon at this rate, but he wasn't too worried, seeing the sharpen ends of the bow made for taking on opponents within a closer range. No doubt Arsian would manage himself once his arrows ran out. Meanwhile, Roderich thrust his rapier toward his current adversary, his inquisitive eyes analyzing the situation and quickly adapting to every shift in the melee. Gilbert had never dueled Roderich one on one before, but after catching some of the Austrian's moves from the corner of his eye, Gilbert wished that he had. Fighting someone like him would have been would have been entertaining.

Gilbert was also vaguely aware of Elizaveta a few yards away from his own battles. Every time he had the chance he would throw a quick glance her way to make sure she was still alive. And she was more than just alive. Even from this distance he could see the resolute tenacity in her green eyes, clearly absorbed in the torrent of the brawl, relying on her battle instincts to guide her attacks, just like he had taught her.

And then there was the headmaster, holding the line if defense before the iron gate of the Academy. If Gilbert wasn't in the middle of fighting for his life, he would have liked to just sit back and watch Mr. Vargas take on legions of demons singlehandedly in awe. He held a simple double-edged sword, but that was enough for him to erase scores of demons from the battlefield. His moves were quick, almost too fast for the naked eye to track, and his strikes were precise and powerful. His soul must have contained an enormous amount of energy in order to increase his physical ability to such lengths. And he had yet to use his angel's gift.

Suddenly, Arsian whirled around, his eyes widening. "This next incoming wave of demons, they're different. Stronger. Major demons," he gritted his teeth.

Out of nowhere, there was a wretched, ear-piercing screech that ripped through the night. Then, an invisible wall of sound slammed into Arsian, Karpusi, Elizaveta, Roderich, and Gilbert, the horrid noise screaming into their ears like a sonic boom, continuous and severely painful. All of them immediately brought their hands over both ears, but it didn't change a thing. The noise was just as vociferous and shrill, a monster's shriek. It was so blaring and overwhelming, Gilbert couldn't think, and automatically his soul defenses were dropping. The others were the same, unable to withstand the sound. As Gilbert glanced up, he saw the source: a banshee, with its ghostly form and mouth wide open.

A new pang of fear seized Gilbert as he recalled what he had previously learned about banshees. Anyone who gets caught in the range of its scream is immobilized by its noise, their ability to counter interrupted, their thought processing shattered. And anyone who still hears its ghastly wail directly after a few moments will perish.

No, Gilbert refused to go out that way. But he could barely think, and none of them could take a step forward. Arsian couldn't even notch an arrow without removing his hands from his ears. If any of them took their hands away, they would hear the full brunt of the scream, but if they kept both hands up, they couldn't defend themselves from other demons, which were sure to take their opportunity any moment now.

Gilbert glanced over at his friends, their faces contorted in pain. Then he turned toward the banshee. There was only one thing he could do. Biting his lip, he held out one hand, and the noise rang in his ear even louder, but he did his best concentrate on his own soul energy. A javelin finally took form in his palm. Using all his strength and willpower, he cocked his arm back and threw his weapon as hard as he could. Fortunately, he had mastered the technique well enough that it sailed through the air remaining solid. The javelin was a bit off target, but it sank into the banshee's shoulder, which was enough to stop the wail. Before it could scream again, Arsian released another arrow, dissolving the demon as it struck its forehead.

Gilbert's ears still rang considerably, but they would recover in a matter of moments. Any mundane might have been rendered deaf, but demon hunters were built to endure demon attacks. There was no time to rest; Arsian was right, there were more major demons invading.

More demons came charging out of the forest, but the most prominent one was a giant scorpion the size of a one story house. Its beady red eyes sought out souls to eat hungrily, its gaze finding Gilbert.

Gilbert smirked and summoned twin knives to his hands. "Bring it!" he called out provokingly. However, that proved to be a lousy idea as the scorpion scuttled forward swiftly, readying its stinger. First, it tried to snap the albino in half with one of its sharp claws, forcing him to duck. Its poisonous stinger lashed out instantly, giving him barely enough time to roll out of the way, the barb leaving a distinct hole in the forest ground. The scorpion began to strike repeatedly, snapping and jabbing without hesitation, and Gilbert realized that he was at a serious disadvantage. Not only did the arachnid have better armaments, but also an effectual exoskeleton. Gilbert would have to find chinks in its armor, but the stupid bug moved too fast, and he couldn't afford to get stung.

It was only a matter of time before he made a mistake. His ducked under another attempted grab of its claw, but didn't anticipate the scorpion's next move. It quickly changed its momentum, using the side of its tail to sweep him off his feet. Gilbert felt the hard exoskeleton collide with his midsection, completely knocking the wind out of him. He was sent flying until he slammed into a tree a few feet behind him. Gilbert crumpled to the ground, his head spinning dizzily, his body aching. The scorpion skulked toward him, seeming to grin in delight. "Now you die, hunter!" it cackled, an awful sound like metal scraping.

It raised its stinger, and Gilbert was too disoriented to get out of the way in time. The scorpion plunged its stinger downward, and Gilbert braced himself-

But instead, someone had slid in between the demon and the albino. The headmaster stood before Gilbert, holding the sides of the monster's barb, pushing back with just enough strength to keep it from piercing his own chest.

"How?!" the demon cried, "How can you hold it without being poisoned?!"

Romulus grinned, flashing his pearly whites, "You're about to find out how." Suddenly, his hands began to glow brilliantly, radiating pure white light. The demon shrieked in pain and fear, struggling to free itself.

"No! The Purifying Light!" it screeched. Then the white light appeared to travel from Romulus's fingertips into the demon itself, until its form began to crack, revealing the luminescence destroying it from within, and with a bright flash the demon disintegrated into dust.

Romulus turned toward Gilbert, "I would lend you a hand to help you up, but as you know, that would be hazardous to your health."

"It's all good," Gilbert nodded, grinning back thankfully as he picked himself off the ground and regained his sense of balance. It was probably a good thing he didn't take Romulus's hand, or the light might annihilate him instead. Gilbert stretched his back out, then without wasting another second, joined his comrades in the skirmish.

Another snarl followed by a hiss resounded throughout the forest. The trees themselves shook and rustled as a great beast flew over the invasion front. It hovered in the air, its dragon-like wings fanned out wickedly. The wyvern roared as it reared its scaly head, then set its gaze in the iron gate. By its shift in weight and angular disposition, Gilbert could see it was about to swoop down and tackle the gate and force it open.

"Arsian!" he called, searching for the Mongolian among the hectic melee. But Arsian was already a step ahead of him. He launched three arrows at once, each of them embedding themselves into the wyvern's wings, and then another volley of three found its underbelly. The wyvern flapped its injured wings erratically, shrieking, before making a hasty descent and landing somewhere in the brawl.

The creature wasn't finished quite yet, however, and still faced the gate, determined to tear it down. But a hunter stood in its way. "Out of the way," it clicked its tongue irately, "If you value what's left of your life."

"You'll never touch that gate, not while I live," Roderich answered firmly, raising his rapier.

"Ha! A hunter like you trying to stop me?" the wyvern laughed sinisterly, "I supposed I'll have a snack before I destroy that gate."

With that, the monster lunged, extending its long neck and barring its pointed teeth. Roderich waited until the last minute, then jump back, narrowly avoiding being bitten. Then he countered, bringing his weapon down in and arc motion. However, the wyvern seemed to have expected that, and whirled around before Roderich's rapier could reach its target. It leapt upward a few feet, flapping its wings, before coming back down instantly, its large claws of its hind leg ramming into Roderich and pinning him to the ground. He struggled against the wyvern's hold, but his arms were being clamped against his sides and the monster was too strong.

"That's a decent soul you got there," the wyvern chortled, "Not Class A material but still appetizing!" It lowered its head until its jaws were close enough to brush against Roderich's cheeks, saliva dripping onto his face. He gritted his teeth, but no matter how hard he squirmed or thrashed about the wyvern wouldn't let go. The monster opened up its mouth, and his heart pounded even faster as he felt its hot breath on his face.

All of a sudden, the wyvern's eyes grew small, and it threw its head back with a screech of agony, letting go of Roderich. He sat up immediately, blinking in surprise, until he saw that a sword was jutting out from the wyvern's side. A unfamiliar young man with deeply tanned skin withdrew the sword, then caught Roderich staring and waved with a friendly smile. "Hello! I'm Neeraja," he introduced cheerfully, as if this were just any other day.

Meanwhile, the wyvern was looking around frantically, jerking its head side to side with a strange, panicked look in its eyes. Another young man that Roderich had never seen before appeared next to the other newcomer, an excited smirk on his face, "C'mon, Neeraja, kill it already while I've got it confused!"

"I've got this one!" A girl's voice called back, and a second later a girl with dark hair and...jagged teeth, black eyes and pointed nails...bolted past the two guys and jumped onto the wyvern's back, wielding a long, curved blade. She steadied her stance as the monster stumbled sporadically, then as soon as her footing was firm, she dug her blade into the base of its neck, and landed nimbly on the ground as the creature began to melt.

"A demon?" Roderich gawked at the girl. Why would a demon come help them?

The girl blinked, then laughed when she realized why he was confused. "No, I'm actually a demon hunter, but this is my soul skill! This way, the demons don't see me coming," she winked.

"This is Maria, and Carlos," Neeraja introduced, before dexterously grabbing a knife from his belt and hurling it Roderich's way. The Austrian flinched, startled, but the knife flew past him and lodged itself into the heart of a wraith, with fell to pieces upon impact.

"What are you three doing here?" Gilbert asked as he ran towards them. He had rushed over with the intention of saving Roderich, but seeing the information brokers rescue him instead was a pleasant surprise, he had to admit.

"We found out that the invasion was taking place tonight," Maria smiled warmly, though it was a bit offset by her demonic teeth, "Even though we aren't too fond of the Academy, we thought about what you said, and decided to come help."

"And there's no better way to collect information that to be there first hand," Carlos chuckled.

"We've got your back, man," Neeraja clapped Gilbert on the shoulder corroboratively.

"Thanks guys, you're all awesome!" he grinned back.

"Well, now that you're all here," Roderich said, fixing his glasses, "Can you cover me? It's about time I activated my soul skill."

"You got it," Gilbert nodded, assuming a fighting stance.

"Consider it done," Carlos simpered, pulling a dagger from his own belt, and Maria and Neeraja guarded Roderich from his other side.

Roderich took a deep breath, then put one finger to each of his temples, and closed his eyes for a brief moment.

Then, out of nowhere, the Austrian's voice popped into Gilbert's head, momentarily startling him, "_This is Roderich, Class B rep. If you are hearing this, I've now harmonized our souls with as many of us as I can. With our souls linked, we can communicate telepathically, and in order to send a message, you must make a conscious effort to send it through the link, so we don't hear any accidental thoughts. You can also choose a specific soul to send it to or send indiscriminately, and you can terminate your link and exit the soul harmony at any time._"

"_Laura here_," her voice reverberated in his head as well, "_I'm with Matthew and Lars, and a few others from Class B by the West side of the Academy_."

"_Kiku and I are handling things just in front of the main gate_," Yao's voice entered his head.

"_Bloody hell, Roderich! You almost got me killed!"_ Arthur griped from wherever he was.

"_Good thing the hero's always here to save the day!_" Alfred's familiar, trademark laugh responded in Gilbert's mind, "_We're on the East side, by the way_."

"_By yourselves? Do you need reinforcements?_" Mr. Karpusi asked through the link.

"_No, we can hold the fort here_," Alfred brushed off casually, delighted with himself, and Gilbert could imagine him swinging his new scythe around like a maniac, giving the demons quite a scare, but not many people knew about Alfred's reaper powers.

"_If you need reinforcements, do not be afraid to ask!_" Romulus affirmed telepathically, "_But only use this link if absolutely necessary_."

"So that's your soul skill?" Gilbert threw Roderich a sideways grin as he drove his spear threw another wraith.

The Austrian nodded, taking up his rapier again. "Now that the link's been forged, you can chose who to 'talk' to, so long as they've been harmonize. I could only harmonize a limited number of hunters though, but hopefully it's enough to cover the expanse of the invasion front."

"Well, that's _almost_ as cool as my skill," Gilbert chuckled, twirling the shaft of his weapon above his head for effect. He could imagine that if they weren't in a life or death situation, Roderich would have rolled his eyes.

* * *

Michelle was on the verge of hyperventilating, which was saying something because she wasn't one to be easily freaked out. The Academy's campus was a ghost town, with not another person in sight. She had scrambled along the cobblestone pathways without once running into another living being. Of course, she should have expected as much, since the evacuation had been announced this morning. But if Lili was correct, and Francis hadn't evacuated earlier, then where the hell was he? She had ran to the infirmary, just to see that his room was vacant and that she couldn't even find Dr. Zwingli there. After that, she had crossed the campus, heading towards Francis's dorm room although she was technically not allowed to enter the guys' dorms, but this was an emergency. However, her boyfriend wasn't there either.

But when she left the guys' dorms, the sun had set, and she knew something wasn't right. Not only could she feel it in her gut, but she could hear it too. Snarls that could only come from vicious beasts, the scraping of metal, and yells that were desperate, angry, implacable, and stanch all at once. All sounding just outside the campus boundaries. What in the world was going on? Was she hallucinating? Was she going insane? She felt like she had stepped into some kind of strange nightmare, yet all she could only hear the frightening things that were happening so close.

"I have to find Francis and get out of here!" she told herself, gathering up her nerves as best she could before dashing off while listing in her head the places where he could possibly be. The library, the office, his classrooms, the cafe. The library was completely empty, as were the classrooms, and the cafe turned out to be locked. Michelle was about to scream in frustration, when suddenly a thunderous roar resounded throughout the campus, its epicenter somewhere towards the front of the school. It was so frightening that she gave a high-pitched yelp instead, shivers running down her back. This was bad. She needed to-

A hand clamped down on her shoulder. Startled, she whirled around, slapping the hand away instinctively.

"Ow," Lili frowned, rubbing her hand, regarding Michelle in concern.

"Lili? What are you doing here?"

"I've been trying to find you this whole time," she replied, her worried eyes checking their surroundings cautiously. Then she grabbed Michelle's wrist and started pulling her towards the nearest building. It was growing darker outside, and Lili knew all too well that the demons worked best at night. "We need to hide!"

"Wait, why? What's going on? Why...why am I hearing monsters? Where's Francis?" Michelle demanded, pulling her arm free an coming to a halt. "I'm not hiding until you tell me!"

"It-it's complicated," Lili tried meekly, but then her voice grew louder. "But I can't tell you! Please, I just want you to be safe! We can't stay out here!"

"I have to know," Michelle shook her head obdurately. "At least tell me where Francis is first, then I'll hide with you."

"He..." Lili trailed off, unsure what to say next. Should she tell her the truth? Knowing could only make things worse, but at this point, they were both in serious danger-

Suddenly, a low growl reverberated off the walls of the nearby buildings, but it sounded close...

Lili and Michelle turned around just in time to see the black dog the size of a tow truck howl towards the moon, and then faced them with a deleterious snarl, flashing its razor sharp canines. Lili's eyes grew wide with fear, petrified. "A-a hellhound," she whispered, her lip trembling.

As the beast began to skulk towards its next meal, smacking its lips, Michelle found herself frozen in her place, unable to comprehend what was happening. She wanted to hide, or run, or scream, or do something but her body wasn't reacting other than trembling violently. This couldn't be happening! This-this had to be some sort of nightmare or hallucination!

Tears of absolute terror sprang into Lili's eyes, and her heart was racing uncontrollably, and her mind was reeling with horrible thoughts. She couldn't fight without any weapons, and she knew she wasn't fast enough to outrun a hellhound. This was it...she was going to die here. She was really going to die.

The giant dog snarled once more, saliva dripping from the corners of its mouth, and then it shifted its weight onto its hind legs, preparing to pounce and kill. Lili finally snapped out of her horrified trance, but it was a second too late.

The hellhound leapt toward them, barring its teeth, its eyes locked onto its targets.

Lili and Michelle screamed. Both of them flinched and turning away as the monster descended down upon them.

BANG!

At the sound of the gunshot, Lili opened her eyes to see that the demon was no longer attacking them. Instead, it lurches sideways, coughing and hacking spit. It appeared to have been hit by something in the side of its jaw, which was smoldering and blistering.

Then Lili looked to her left to see Alice standing a few yards away, pistol still pointed at the hellhound, her jaw set straight, her aim steady.

Before the demon could fully recover, Alice pulled the trigger once more, but it was not a ordinary bullet that shot out from the barrel. Instead, an aerodynamic capsule flew towards the great dog, until it collided with the demon's forehead. Upon impact, however, the capsule exploded into sparks of white light, leaving the demon's essence scalding and burning. The hellhound whimpered and stumbled, before shaking its head and ignoring the intense heat from its two wounds to facing Alice.

That's when Lili saw cart that was just behind the Belgian girl. She must have been tugging it this way when she saw the hellhound, along with Lili and Michelle. The cart held numerous items, including several first aid kits, demon hunter style of course, along with multiple potions from her own cafe, and even some weapons. Alice grabbed a sword that sat on top of the cart, and took a defensive stance, holding the blade out before her.

The demon snarled again, this time more angrily with a rampant fury in its livid eyes. It bounded toward her swiftly, ready to rip her throat out in revenge. Alice held her ground, her calm expression unwavering.

"Alice!" Lili cried, terrified for her friend, but too far away to do anything.

But Alice proved to know what she was doing. As the demon pounced, Alice waited for the last moment, until she finally sidestepped, the monster's claws and teeth barely missing her petite body. As she moved, she gripped her sword and sliced the hellhound across its body while its momentum brought it past her.

A moment later the hellhound collapsed to the ground, melting into nothingness until there was no trace of it left.

"Alice! You did it," Lili cheered, running up to hug her friend, while Michelle still gaped wide-eyed.

Alice gave her a weary smile. "I came just in time, didn't I? But why are you still here on campus? You should have left a long time ago. Vash isn't going to be happy about this."

"I...I had to find Michelle," Lili sighed, glancing back at the Seychellois girl, who was heading towards them, a bewildered look on her face.

Alice's expression darkened, "She's seen too much, but there's no way to change that now."

"Okay, will someone please tell me what's going on?!" Michelle exasperated, her own thoughts a jumbled mess inside her head.

"You weren't supposed to see that," Alice sighed, "But mundane mortals like you aren't even supposed to be here. There's practically a war going on just outside campus boundaries."

"A war?"

"The classic battle from the legends," Alice explained, "Demons versus demon hunters."

"So...that thing was a demon?" Michelle shivered, recalling the overwhelming fear that had seized her whole body. She didn't want to believe it. It was the stuff of fairy tales and myths, not real life, but then what was that she just saw? There was no denying that was real. She had had the uncanny sense that something...strange was going on within the Academy for a while now, but how could she have guessed this? Her voice was astounded in disbelief. "And you guys are...demon hunters? Along with the others?"

Lili nodded, biting her lip, expecting the worse reaction. But Michelle seemed to be in a daze, instead of having a mental breakdown, and Lili wasn't sure what to make of it.

"And...Francis is one of them too?"

"Yes," Alice nodded, "One of the best ones at the Academy. You don't have to worry about him."

"Not worry?" Michelle exclaimed, snapping out of her stunned state at her words. "I can't _not_ worry! Even if...if he's not a normal human or whatever, he's still injured! That only makes me worry more! He's out there right now, isn't he? I have to find him!"

"Are you crazy?" Alice replied incredulously, "You're only mundane. Didn't you see that demon? That wasn't even a powerful one! You can't go out there!"

"You're going out there, aren't you?" she shot back pointedly.

"Yes, but we're demon hunters," Lili argued, to which Alice turned to her, blinking in surprise.

"You aren't going either, Lili," Alice shook her head. "You both need to hide."

"What? No, they could use me out there!" Lili protested stubbornly.

"You can't fight," Alice asserted.

"But I can tend to the wounded. You have first aid kits with you for a reason, right? My soul skill can help, a lot!"

"Soul skill?" Michelle repeated, perplexed.

"I don't have much time to explain, but some hunters have special abilities," Lili waved off, "I can tell precisely what kind of injury someone has and what treatment they need just by looking at them." She glanced at Alice, "Which is why I should be out there! You can't stop me from going."

Alice sighed, "You're that determined on going onto the battlefield? Vash wouldn't want you to get in harm's way."

"But you can't expect me to just sit here," Lili persisted, "My friends could be dying. And I can help them! I want to help protect my family and my home!"

Alice regarded her carefully for a tense moment. "All right, fine. You can tend to their injuries while I cover you. But if I tell you to run or anything like that, you listen to me, okay?"

Lili grinned, and nodded, "Right!"

"What about me?" Michelle frowned.

"You're staying here and hiding," Alice asserted, leaving no room for arguing. But she did select a weapon from her cart and hand it to Michelle, "Here. In case another demon finds its way into the school. Demons weren't supposed to be able to penetrate the line of defense, but it looks like some are able to slip through the boundaries somehow like that hellhound. Use that only for emergencies! Don't go looking for demons, okay? Francis would want you to stay safe."

Michelle examined the crossbow in her hands, brows scrunched. "Seems easy enough to use," she murmured, then relaxed her shoulders, "Fine, I'll stay."

"Good," Alice nodded, relieved, then handed her a potion from her cart. "This should strengthen your soul, at least for now." Michelle accepted it, then uncorked the bottle and drank it contents in one gulp.

Once she was done, Alice turned to Lili, "Take whatever you need from the cart. I'm going to push it to the entrance, and then from there we just take what we can carry. Let's go."

Lili nodded once more and grabbed a first aid kit. Then the two rushed off towards the main entrance of the campus, leaving Michelle standing alone in the middle of the cobblestone pathway, one hand on her hip and the other holding her newly acquired crossbow. When the two girls were out of her sight, she glanced down at her weapon, muttering, "Don't die on me Francis. Just hold out a little longer..."

* * *

Antonio had no idea where he was anymore. He guessed he was somewhere towards the east side of the campus boundaries, but it didn't really matter. All that mattered were his opponents. Somehow, and Antonio couldn't really remember how in the midst of the array, he ended up by himself, not a single hunter in his line of sight, though that wasn't saying much since it was growing darker and his field of vision was much narrower by now. But that didn't matter either.

After his first few kills, Antonio had stopped thinking. It was like shifting gears; there was a sociable, friendly Antonio mode, and then there was a fierce, battle Antonio mode. Needless to say, he was in the latter. Even though he was no longer a Class A hunter, he still retained the drive and fighting skills of one. So far, most of his foes had been minor demons, and Antonio quickly dominated those duels, swinging his battle axe with deadly precision. His cutting blade slashed through demons as if they were made of smoke, dissolving them into dust.

However, when the second wave of demons hit, Antonio found himself putting much more effort into his fights. He wasn't in danger of being overpowered, however; it seemed that the more powerful demons were concentrated by the front gate, not wherever he was. But it was still his job to make sure no demons were able to go over or break through the wall of the Academy behind him.

But as slashed through the heart of one more demon, he whirled around, ready for the next, only to find that there were no more demons near him, at least not where he could see. He was surrounded by the trees of the forest and befalling darkness, but he remained apprehensive, in case the monsters were using the cover of the night to attack him while his guard was down.

He waited, breathing heavily from physical exertion, his pulse beating fast within his rib cage, but after a few moments, he was still alone. Antonio straightened up, frowning, scratching his head with his free hand. "Hello?" he asked tentatively. There was no reply. He took another look around again, narrowing his eyes, wondering where the demons in this area had gone. He was so sure there were more of them only a few moments ago. They must have been drawn to something else...

Suddenly, a familiar voice in the distance interrupted his thoughts, a voice Antonio would recognize anywhere. "You fuckers want a piece of me?! Just try it!"

"Lovi?" Antonio gawked, his jaw dropping. What was he doing here?! He was supposed to have evacuated a long time ago!

"Eat shit, damn demons!"

Upon hearing the Italian's voice a second time, Antonio snapped out of his confusion and took off in the direction of his shouts. He tore through the forest, running as fast as he could, gripping his weapon tightly. As it turned out, he did not have to run far. In a matter of moments, he was close enough to see his friend, surrounded by wicked creatures. Lovino stood in the middle of them all, brandishing a sword, hiding his uncertainty in an angry scowl.

"Get away from him!" Antonio shouted furiously, charging the demons without hesitation. Surprised, the demons turned towards him, but Antonio was already cutting down the first one he could reach, then the next, until he was practically engaging them all at once.

Lovino blinked, just as surprised as the demons to see the Spaniard, but then he cracked a slight smile. He couldn't remember a time he had been happier to see his friend; he honestly thought he was a goner for a moment there. Clenching his sword, he joined him, thrusting his blade into the closest monster. Now that Antonio was here, he fought with more resolve, though he couldn't fathom why.

"Why are you here, Lovi?!" Antonio called as he struck down another foe, making his way toward his friend until finally he was back to back with the Italian.

"Because if I ran away now, if I ditched you guys tonight, I'd never forgive myself," Lovino answered evenly. "Why else would I be here, tomato bastard!"

Antonio risked throwing a small grin his way. Sometimes, in moments like this, Antonio couldn't understand why Lovino thought his soul would never be worth as much as a whole one. Moments like this only proved what Antonio always thought, that Lovino's soul, though incomplete, was greater than most other souls Antonio had ever come across. "Even still," Antonio chuckled, "There's no reason to fight alone."

"Yeah, well, I had to avoid running into my grandfather," Lovino replied as the deflected the claws of a feline demon with the side of his sword.

"At least I found you, then," Antonio said, slicing upward through a wolf-like creature, relinquishing its essence.

Lovino didn't answer, but Antonio was okay with that, as long as they were fighting as a team. Together they destroyed their opponents, both consciously aware of the other's movements, coordinating their attacks to slay more efficiently.

But their successful teamwork was short lived. Within seconds, the temperature of the surrounding area seemed to drop twenty degrees. The demons around them suddenly stopped, still growling but backing away from the two hunters. Antonio tensed, an anxious feeling welling inside his soul, virtually screaming at him that something was wrong. Lovino could feel it too, but firmly held his ground beside his friend, doing his best to swallow his fears, drawing courage from the knowledge that he was not alone now.

"_Lovino Vargas_..." a hissing voice rippled through the cold air in such a way that they couldn't tell which direction it was coming from.

"H-how do you know my name?" Lovino called, trying to put on convincing bravado. "What the hell do you want with me?"

The voice cackled, amused, "_Your death has been carefully arranged, little hunter...And it will be especially slow and painful_!"

Lovino gritted his teeth. His eyes frenetically searched the darkness for the demon, which must have been a major one, but to no avail. The other minor demons still snarled at them, but made no move to attack while the presence of the major demon was still there. "Why Lovi of all hunters?" Antonio demanded, jaw clenched.

"Isn't it obvious?" the demon sneered. "He's the grandson of the Purifying Light hunter!"

"They want a hostage..." Lovino muttered angrily, balling his fist. He should have known this would happen! That's why his grandfather wanted him to leave so badly.

"Yeah, well, you can't have him!" Antonio shouted back, enraged by such a dirty trick, raising his axe. "I won't let you take him!"

"_You are a particularly annoying hunter_," the demon sighed, its voice still disembodied. "_As much as I would love to tear you apart, I have a task to complete_."

It happened so fast, Antonio didn't have time to react.

An extremely long, thick, and pink tendril shot out from the forest behind them, and when Antonio turned around to see it, he was barely able to register that it was a monstrous tongue before it latched onto Lovino, wrapping around him so strongly and so quickly that the Italian lost hold of his sword as his arms were pinned to his sides. Not even a split second later, the ballistic tongue retracted back from whence it came, swiftly and roughly taking Lovino with it at such velocity that the wind was knocked out of him as he was jerked backwards. He didn't even have time to scream.

"_LOVINO_!" Antonio cried out hysterically, but it was too late. Lovino had already disappeared into darkness of the forest, along with the demon.

* * *

From the Author: Random update on a day that's not Friday! But I did promise I'd update as soon as I could and it turned out to be today :) This chapter was fun to write, especially with the action, so I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry for the cliffhanger, but hopefully I'll be able to update again soon so you all won't be hanging for too long...

Arsian is Mongolia, Karpusi is Greece, Adnan is Turkey, Romulus is Rome, Neeraja is India, Maria is the Philippines, Carlos is Mexico, Laura is Monaco, Michelle is Seychelles, Lili is Lietchenstien, Alice is Belgium.

Anyways, thanks so much for reading, watching, faving, and especially commenting! It's been a huge help, seriously! I couldn't have it this far without you guys! Thanks again and any feedback would be absolutely amazing!


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: Hetalia does not belong to wintercandyapple.

Note: This chapter is noteably longer than the others, so I suggest getting comfortable before starting :)

* * *

Lovino leaned back against the poorly cushioned chair with a moody sigh. They really ought to upgrade the furnishing of the benches in this thing, he thought grumpily. Seriously, if hunters were going to ride this on their way to face wrathful monsters, then shouldn't they be entitled to a comfortable ride before freaking battling for their lives? But no, he was sitting on second class cushions that did nothing to soothe the crazed butterflies within him.

He honestly did not know how he really felt right now. Fucking nervous, that's for sure. And not to mention he was still getting over initial shock that Antonio had actually asked him to be his partner on his Class A assignment. Holy shit, he was really going on a Class A assignment right now! Why the hell did Antonio pick him of all hunters?! Lovino was only Class B! And he didn't even have a soul skill for that matter. Of course he always got the short end of the stick, so naturally, he wasn't born with a soul skill. And yet Antonio had still chosen to take him along.

Speaking of the tomato bastard, he was sitting on his left, and was acting perfectly normal for most of the subway ride. That's right, Lovino sighed inwardly, Antonio's been on lots of assignments with major demons before, so this one was probably no different to him. In fact, Antonio had been acting cheery the whole time, maintaining that upbeat disposition every second Lovino was with him. He never ceased to surprise the Italian, who couldn't fathom why or how the Spaniard cared so much to put up with his attitude. Perhaps he would never understand the tomato bastard. But, though he would never admit it, Lovino was grateful for his unbroken friendship despite having the negative parts of a soul.

"So according to Mr. Karpusi, Ater Ignis is just a fire demon?" Lovino asked, just to clarify.

Antonio nodded, but regarded him with a hint of concern in his green eyes, "Are you...going to be okay?"

Lovino didn't have to ask him what he meant by that. The Italian had had a frightening experience with a fire demon once before, the demon that murdered his parents and bit Feliciano's soul all those years ago. It wasn't the same fire demon as the one they were hunting now, but still, the memory was forever ingrained into Lovino's soul. "I'll be just fine," Lovino seethed, his eyes unreadable. "We'll make sure this fire demons never has the chance to burn down another fucking village." He almost added, and fuck up another kid's life, but decided to keep that scorn to himself. But that didn't mean the rage was suppressed, not by any means. Demons of fire held a special hatred in his heart, and that would never change.

"Right!" the Spaniard nodded in agreement. But Lovino noticed something off this time. The optimism was there in his voice, but it seemed too forced, too fake especially for Antonio. But the Italian just waved it off indifferently, assuming that his partner was just getting a bit nervous from their assignment as well.

They rode for a few minutes in silence, but even Lovino could sense the shift in the atmosphere. It made him a little uncomfortable, but he wasn't really one to act all worried for his friend , so he didn't know what to say.

Finally, Antonio piped up, "Hey, Lovi...I want to tell you something, something I've never told anyone before, not the headmaster, not Francis or Gilbert, no one. I know I shouldn't bother you with his, but I just can't keep it to myself anymore."

Lovino blinked, then turned in his seat so that he faced Antonio straight on. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have given two fucks, but this was Antonio. There was a anxious edge to his friend's voice, and that unsettled Lovino, since it was so unlike him. "What's wrong?" Lovino almost said "tomato bastard," but stopped himself when he saw the flash of desperation brief come over Antonio's usually bright green eyes.

"How to say this...well, there's a...a side effect to my soul skill. You see, every time I read someone's soul, my soul absorbs their emotions as well, and holds onto them. All of them." As he explained, he ran his hand through his messy brown hair, as if he couldn't sit still. At first, Lovino didn't understand the problem here, but just by looking at him he could tell that whatever was going on was really unhinging him.

"What the hell do you mean by all of them?" he frowned, "Your soul holds onto other people's emotions?"

Antonio nodded, "It's hard to explain...Ever since I read your soul, I can still vividly remember the horror you felt when...you know, and the pain you felt when your soul was split. But it's not just your feelings. Ever since I discovered my skill, I've read the souls of twenty people, including yours, Francis's, Kim's, and Arthur's. My soul harbors most precious joys, as well as their most intense anger and grief, almost like water behind a dam. Most of the time, I can keep it locked away deep inside...but sometimes, it feels like it's going to pour out all at once. And if it does, I-I don't know what's going to happen. I...I'm scared that I'll lose who I am, that my emotions will be drowned out by everyone else's."

"You'll...lose yourself?"

He bit his lip uneasily, "If all those emotions surface at the same time, I don't think my mind could handle it. Once it a while, I can feel it about to happen. My hands start shaking like crazy and my vision blurs. But the best way to fight it is to stay positive and think about what makes me who I am." Antonio smiled a little then, but his smile quickly faded when he saw Lovino's glare.

"Tomato bastard! Why the fuck haven't you told anyone about this?!" he exclaimed angrily.

"Because if I did, then it would be harder to resist going insane, Lovi," Antonio sighed, "I am who I am because of my friends. Because they treat me as me and they help me make my own memories. But if they found out, they would worry about me. It would be harder for me to stay positive if everyone else was worried, and it would only make me think about it more."

"So why are you telling me?" Lovino tilted his head questioningly.

"Because I trust you and I know you won't make a fuss about it or feel sorry for me in the way the others would," Antonio said with an earnest smile. "And because I wanted to prove to you that there's no such thing as a perfectly happy person. Everybody has to find their own reason to be happy despite all the reasons to be sad."

* * *

"Wha...what the hell just happened?" Lovino muttered groggily as he came to. He had just been dreaming about the conversation he had with Antonio just before they faced Ater Ignis, but why had he thought about that? What was he doing again? His thoughts were cloudy and scrambled, and his vision wasn't quite clear yet. He coughed, and tried to rub his eyes-

-And found that he couldn't. His arms were restrained above his head. Shock jolted him out of his drowsy state, and his senses returned to him with a pang of panic.

Lovino was dangling a few feet above the forest ground, hanging from the bindings that tied his wrists together over his head, and more bindings tied his ankles together. With another horrible wave of alarm, Lovino realized that it wasn't pieces of rope that held his arms and legs together, but two large, muscular tongues, each pulling on his bound limbs in opposite directions, stretching him upright as much as they could without hurting him. What the hell?!

It was then that he remembered what happened. He had been fighting demons beside Antonio before the major demon captured him in an instant. Damnit! How could he have let himself get caught so fucking easily?! In his frustration he struggled against the tongues, doing everything he could to pull his arms and legs free, but it was no use; the hold was too strong.

Angrily, Lovino turned his head around as much as he could to see where the tongues were coming from. And he almost wished he hadn't.

The demon stared back at him, this time fully visible, with large, round eyes that protruded out of his reptilian head, eyes that moved completely independent of the other. It was a giant chameleon, as big as a school bus, with its mouth wide open and two fifteen feet long tongues sticking out as they held Lovino captive.

A motherfucking chameleon? No wonder he couldn't see it before... Chameleons normally only had one ballistic tongue, but evidently this was no ordinary lizard. Lovino was doing his best trying not to let fear overwhelm him, but it was hard not to. He could hear the sounds of battle nearby, so he must have been close to the Academy, but away from the invasion front. Thinking quickly, he had just begun to consider calling for help when his thoughts were interrupted.

"Awake already?" a demonic voice purred sinisterly. Lovino turned his head forward again in the direction of the voice, seeing nothing at first, until a figure stepped out from behind a tree. The demon took the form of a young man, with spiky, dark hair and black irises. His pale skin reflected the moonlight in an eerie manner, and he wore a thin beater tank top that exposed a lean and muscular body build. When he smacked his lips, Lovino saw jagged teeth that could easily puncture skin.

"Let me go, you son of a bitch!" Lovino demanded furiously, thrashing about to no avail.

"Sorry, no can do," the demon laughed, "Illedris would kill me if I did that! Nah, I got to use you in order to kill the Purifying Light hunter. Once he's out of the way, the Academy's ours."

"Well if you think you can use me to force him to surrender, then you've got another thing coming!" he yelled back in outrage. "He's smarter than that!"

"We'll see about that," the demon chuckled, "In fact, he's already on his way here!"

* * *

Of all the skirmishes taking place on the invasion front, none was going better for the Academy than Arthur and Alfred's on the east side. The two of them made a powerful team, virtually unstoppable now that Alfred was able to control his reaper side and summon a scythe. While about fifteen hunters protected the west side and another twenty held the line at the front of the Academy, only these two guarded the east side, and they did it efficiently and swiftly, cleaning out demons one after another.

Admittedly, Alfred was having way too much fun in such a dire situation. It was the first time he was able to use his new scythe against demons, and he felt utterly and completely electrified. He had laughed when the demons first attacked him, assuming he was just another hunter, just another delicious soul to be eaten. That is, until he formed the scythe's shaft in his grasp followed by the curved blade at one end. This sent confusion and shock among the deepest of demon ranks, striking panic among them. His scythe cut right through their essences just as easily as a hand would brush through smoke, the monsters degenerating upon impact.

"A reaper with a soul?! That's impossible," one demon shrieked, fear in its beady eyes, "The mandate forbids reapers from interfering!"

"That mandate doesn't apply to the hero!" Alfred laughed loudly, his glasses glinting with delight as he turned the demon to dust with a single wave of his weapon.

Meanwhile, Arthur put his soul skill on full throttle, blasting demons as soon as he caught sight of them. Creating so many energy balls in a single battle required an extensive amount of soul energy, but luckily Arthur's soul regeneration was able to keep up for the most part, more so with Alfred covering him.

"Ha! We're so badass, aren't we, Artie?" Alfred smirked as another creature of the night deteriorated before him.

"Well, we aren't Class A status for nothing," Arthur gave a slight, knowing grin, pleased that the fight was going well for them. "Just imagine how much easier this would have been for us if we had all the Class A students here defending the school. Victory would have been more likely."

"Are you saying it's not likely?" Alfred frowned slightly.

"I'm just saying that not everyone here is as good as we are," Arthur scoffed forebodingly, discharging another blast that exploded on two monsters at once, reducing them to faint embers on the forest floor.

"Yeah..." Alfred lunged forward, assailing five demons simultaneously, and with one fell swoop, he swung his scythe laterally, ripping through all five and dispersing their essences like smoke.

Alfred looked around for more opponents, as did Arthur, but the attacks had ceased. "I don't sense any more demons," Alfred speculated, scratching his head, "Not on the east side any way. I think we beat them all."

"You can sense them now? Since when, you wanker?!" Arthur huffed.

"Since this morning," Alfred chuckled to himself, grinning broadly, "I think the seal on my soul's still getting a lot weaker, and as more power leaks out, the more enhanced my abilities become!"

"That is immensely unfair," the Brit sighed.

"It's great to be me!" he simpered haughtily, before taking a deep breath and scanning the area around them one more time just to be sure they were all done here. "So should we head to the front again? They probably need our help, like you said, dude."

Arthur nodded, "We should hurry. But you are really going to confuse our teachers and our peers with your new weapon."

"I can't wait to see the looks on their faces," Alfred winked, before turning on his heels and darting toward the front of the school, Arthur only a few paces behind him.

* * *

Laura was breathing heavily, the physical fatigue beginning to take its toll on her body, but she refused to let any weakness show, and she clutched her personal leaf-shaped sword by its silver hilt. Ignoring any notion of exhaustion, she continued to slash and block as agilely as possible, but her moves were slowing down noticeably. She hated how obvious it was that she had never fought such a multitude of opponents before, never taken on demons on such a scale. Still, to give up now would be to forfeit her life, and she would never let that happen.

A few yards to her left, Lars seemed to have more endurance and stamina that she did, thankfully, as he dueled demons with a steely, unwavering composure about him, the same look of indifference on his face as always. Laura had to admit that he was a much better fighter than she was, and in terms of combat proficiency he could easily outrank her, but Class B already had a male representative, and she didn't think Lars was fit to carry out the familial duties of a rep anyway.

Matthew fought on her right, and he appeared to be holding out on his own, but Laura could tell that fatigue was creeping into him as well. "At times like these, sometimes I wish I had a better soul skill," Matthew griped as he deflected the claws of a raptor-like demon with his blade, until he was able to finally land a blow in its throat.

"I'll say," Laura replied through gritted teeth. While she really did appreciate her knowledge-based soul skill in the Academy, it couldn't heighten her physical ability during battle, not like Alfred's or Arthur's or Gilbert's.

After driving her blade through the heart of her opponent's essence, she quickly surveyed her surroundings, checking on her fellow hunters. That's when she saw the girl fall to her knees. She was a hunter, of course, but Laura didn't immediately recognize her name, so she assumed she must have been in Class C. The hunter fell to her knees, her body trembling uncontrollably, as the hellhound before her snarled and opened its massive jaws.

"No!" Laura cried as she dashed as fast as her own body would let her, and just before the demonic canine could sink its teeth into the girl's flesh, Laura plunged her blade deep into the side of the monster's neck. The hellhound let out something in between a whimper and a howl of pain before vanishing away.

Laura wiped the sweat from her forehead and then knelt down before the girl. "Are you injured?" she asked urgently.

But the girl did not respond for a moment, still quaking violently with fear and hysteria. "W-we can't win! This i-is the end. I-I'm going to die here..." she muttered as she choked back a sob.

"You're wrong," Laura insisted ardently, "We can win this! We can save our school!"

The girl just shook her head, then pointed past Laura a few yards away. Laura glanced over her shoulder to see what she was pointing at, only to feel a wave of nausea run through her. It was the dead body of another hunter, another one Laura couldn't name from Class C, lying in a pool of his own blood, his face still holding an expression of terror. His soul was long gone. Devoured.

"Don't look at that," Laura ordered, turning back to the girl, "If you give up now, you'll certainly die. You have no choice but to keep fighting! So get a hold of yourself and stand! You're a hunter of the Venator Academy, one of us, and we will win this, because we possess what the demons will never know or understand, and that's what makes us stronger!" Without waiting for the girl to answer, Laura got to her feet and grabbed the girl's wrist, pulling her up. Laura's words had been so full of determination and confidence that the girl was undeniably shocked, and soon her expression hardened.

"You-you're right," she nodded slowly. "I have to keep a cool head and fight!" After a nod of approval from the Class B rep, the girl took up her weapon and joined the other hunters in the brawl.

Laura watched her go, completely unaware of the demon stalking towards her while her back was turned.

The black lion pounced, roaring as it did so, and Laura whirled around too late, unable to react in time.

But before the lion could reach her, someone else tackled Laura out of the way. They hit the ground hard, but at least they avoided the demon's attack. Catching her breath, Laura sat up in surprise, to find her brother swiftly picking himself off the forest floor and raising his blade as the lion circled them.

"Francis?!" she exclaimed, her mouth falling open. "You-you shouldn't be here! You're injured!"

"Well, it's a good thing I was here to save you, right, _mon cher_?" Francis smirked, winking at her before giving his full attention to the demon. "Look here, demon, no one lays a finger on my little sister's soul while I live, got it?" Enraged, the lion leapt at him with a snarl, but Francis wasn't the least bit worried. He was Class A, after all, and the only demons worth his true effort were major ones. He ducked under the lion's claws, and while the demon was passing over him, its momentum unable to change in midair, Francis drove his sword upward into the lion's underbelly, and the feline melted before it hit the ground again.

"You can't be here, idiot!" Laura yelled at him angrily, "Not with your arm all busted up! You'll get killed!"

"Stop worrying," Francis grinned at her self-assuredly, "I took enough medicine to last me the night, and I can just hold my sword with my other hand. Your big brother can handle himself. I didn't get into Class A with luck, you know."

"Are...are you sure you're going to be all right?" she asked, genuine concern for her brother present in her eyes as she adjusted her glasses.

"Of course," Francis reassured with a knowing smile. "I heard what you said to that girl. And you are completely right."

Laura laughed softly at this as she gathered her wits about her before going to battle once more. "I know. I'm usually right, after all. We will win this!"

Francis smirked, taking up his sword in his good hand, "Damn straight, little sister."

* * *

Mr. Adnan was right; this area of the village was much, much worse. Yong Soo could feel it in his bones as soon as he step foot on the ruined street, littered with debris of toppled buildings and the slaughtered. Even the air was significantly different here, rotten and filthy, polluted with the stench of death and bloodshed. Fires raged all around him, and smoke billowed in dark columns rising to the ashen sky. Screams of fear and agony were so encompassing that he couldn't distinguish where they were coming from. It was so overwhelming, Yong Soo and Kim didn't know where to start, almost unable to take it all in at once.

Ivan and Natalya were somewhere nearby, in the midst of the bloodbath, but Yong Soo knew that everyone who had come on this mission could take care of themselves, so he decided to go off on his own, and he, Kim, and Adnan split up as well. Yong Soo swallowed his qualms and took a deep breath to clear his mind, concentrating his soul energy to give him strength. He picked the nearest block, deciding to rid this one of demons first, then move onto the next block systematically. With unfaltering conviction, he checked every single building on the street, albeit hurriedly, destroying any demons he found inside in a hastened manner while still retaining accuracy and fighting form, before moving onto the next. Most of the edifices he entered were empty. Empty of demons anyway. Yong Soo hated how he had to force himself not to let his gaze linger on the maimed corpses lying the floors, just as much as he hated suppressing his increasing rage and keeping steely composure. Unleashing his temper didn't solve anything, as Kiku and Yao once taught him, and in fact only made him all the more reckless and brash. On more than one occasion, his unrestrained anger had nearly gotten him killed.

Maintaining a fairly swift pace, Yong Soo continued searching the blocks for demons, keeping his eye out for survivors as well. However, it seemed that with each new block, the scenes grew more and more horrific and brutal. At one time, he was darting across a street before accidentally tripping over some sort of heap, only to find when he got up that it was the mutilated body of a young man, grotesque wounds horribly disfiguring his bloody face. Initially frightened by the gruesome sight, Yong Soo had recoiled impulsively, almost falling to the ground again. But he caught himself, shook his head, and proceeded with his mission.

Clenching his jaw and clutching his dagger tightly, the Korean hunter dashed up the front steps of what used to be someone's home, when a distinct, shrill scream, a woman's scream, resounded from a couple of houses down the street. Immediately Yong Soo sprinted in that direction, a dreadful sense of apprehension coming over him as the screams continued, desperate and terrified. This made him run even faster, until he was at the door of the house where the shrieks emanated from, and without waiting another second, he yanked the door open.

Just in time to see the incubus rip out the woman's heart with its pointed fingers. The woman's body fell to the floor with a thud, right next to her dead husband.

But they weren't the only ones in the room. There was a child, a boy no older than the age of twelve, cowering with his back against the wall, his wide eyes alight with horror, tears streaming down his face as he watch his mother die before him.

And suddenly, Yong Soo wasn't looking at the boy, but at himself, the same age, watching in absolute terror with the same, petrified expression as the demon tortured and killed his mother, father, and sister in that cave all those years ago. He vividly remembered his family's broken forms, the demon who had consumed their souls cackling in sadistic delight.

A blinding rage took over as Yong Soo lunged forward, and the next thing he knew, he was sinking his dagger into the incubus's chest, his soul energy flooding his arms and legs with renewed power. The incubus screeched as it dispersed into fragments of darkness, before fading away altogether. For a moment, Yong Soo just stood there with heavy breaths, his shoulders shaking as he tried to calm himself down, his anger subsiding. Finally, he was able to think clearly again, and he glanced over at the boy in the corner, who was staring at him in utter shock. After a few seconds, the boy snapped out of his incredulous trance, and stammered, "T-t-that thing...k-killed Mum and Dad..." Tears kept streaking down his cheeks, and he hiccupped softly, unable to tear his gaze away from his parents.

Gingerly, Yong Soo knelt by him, understanding and commiseration filling his soul, and said softly, "L-look, kid, I'm going to get you out of here, but I'm going to need you to stand. Can you do that for me?" He wasn't experienced at being gentle and sympathetic, but the kid stopped hiccupping, though he was still sniffling, and looked up at him.

"Y-yeah," he nodded through his tears, pushing himself off the ground, "B-but my Mum and Dad..."

"There's nothing you can do for them now," Yong Soo shook his head, trying his hardest to keep his voice from cracking. He had been in this very situation before, and it was all he could do to keep the terrible memories from flooding back. "They'd want you to get out of here alive. I need you to follow me. More monsters are going to be out there, but if you stick with me, you'll be safe."

"Safe?" the boy repeated, trepidation plain in his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"I promise," Yong Soo nodded, masking his own emotions with a positive attitude in order to convince him. "You have a name, right kid?"

The boy nodded, wiping the tears from his cheeks. As he did so, Yong Soo couldn't help but notice how familiar his lineaments were. Blonde hair, light blue eyes, and fair complexion. In fact, he resembled someone he knew very closely, but right now, Yong Soo didn't have time to think about that. First he had to focus on making it out alive along with his new companion. "My name's Peter," he said finally.

"I'm Yong Soo," he answered as he led Peter away from the bodies, "It's time we got out of here. Stay close to me, and I promise I'll protect you."

* * *

"_Romulus Vargas..."_ A menacing voice called. The headmaster paused from the melee, glancing around, searching for the source before realizing it was coming from inside his head. At first he assumed it had something to do with Roderich's soul harmony link, but the voice was so demonic and sinister, he quickly dismissed that notion and figured it had to be one of the demons that could access mortal minds. If that was the case, then that was bad news indeed. Demons that can infiltrate the mind had to be major, and usually were on a higher level than most of the demons even Class A hunters fought.

"_Come to me, Romulus Vargas_..." it called again, a ominous and amused tone, "_Come to me, and face your death_..."

"Alright demon, if you want to play, tell me where to go," Romulus muttered to himself. Although he did not want to leave the front gate and the invasion front, a demon as dangerous as this could not be left alone. It was best that he kill it as soon as possible then return to the front. An entertained laugh echoed through his head, and suddenly, Romulus knew exactly where to go and how to get there. It wasn't far from where he stood, in fact.

His suspicions confirmed, Romulus gritted his teeth. The demon was more powerful than he thought if it could implant information into his own mind just like that. It might even be able to manipulate his thoughts if it could do that. Even still, the headmaster followed the newly acquired directions to the place the demon wanted him to go to, heightening his own soul defenses as he did so, readying his energy and his Purifying Light.

Since the darkness impeded his vision and put him at a serious disadvantage, Romulus held out one hand and let a little of the Purifying Light flow out from his fingertips, illuminating the space around him as he made his way through the forest, until in a matter of moments, he had reached his destination.

And a new kind of fear seized his heart.

There was Lovino, splayed out in the air helplessly by a giant chameleon with two tongues, one wrapped around his wrists and the other around his ankles. "Nonno!" Lovino inhaled sharply when he saw his grandfather.

There was another figure standing just in front of Lovino, a wicked grin spreading from ear to ear. "There you are, Purifying Light hunter. We were waiting for you."

Vehement anger boiled within him, and his palms grew all the more luminescent. "You've made a grave mistake, messing with my family, you bastard!" Romulus thundered, brandishing his sword, "If you've hurt him..."

"Oh, he hasn't been hurt just yet," the demon chortled, "But the severity of his pain depends on your level of cooperation."

"Cooperation?" Romulus growled, "You have the gall to threaten my family and demand my cooperation? You don't know who you're talking to." With that, Romulus rocketed from where to stood, an incredible amount of soul energy focused in his legs to ensure his speed. As he launched himself at the demon, sword ready to slash, the demon simpered with a twisted smirk. Before Romulus could touch him, the demon ducked under his swing. However, Romulus followed with an uppercut punch, the angels' light flowing through his fist. And yet his blow never struck, as the demon sidestepped just in time to avoid being hit, before grabbing Romulus's outstretched arm and flinging him back with tremendous force. Romulus tumbled back before using that momentum to roll onto his feet, but this time hesitated to attack.

"You've figured it out, haven't you?" the demon sneered, "You can't touch me. I know your attack at the very moment you think it. Your thoughts are no longer yours alone."

"A mind reading demon," Romulus seethed, gritting his teeth. This was bad. Very bad. He had never fought a demon with such power before, and he wasn't even sure it was possible to beat an opponent like him. And certainly it was impossible to do alone.

"How rude of me to forget to introduce myself," the demon snickered, "I am the demon Mentis, and tonight, I am among Illedris's highest ranks. And my task tonight is to rid this world of the Purifying Light hunter Romulus Vargas _forever_!"

Alone, Romulus chances were rigorously stacked against him. Perhaps he could use the harmony link to get help-

"Don't even think about it," Mentis ordered arrogantly, "If you even try to use that link I'll know. And poor Lovino here will have to pay the price."

"Nonno, don't worry about me!" Lovino shouted. "Just do what you have to do to defeat this bastard!"

"Ah, but your grandfather can't help but worry about you," Mentis laughed, his voice growing darker by the second, a cruel delight dancing in his black eyes. "Because Romulus has already lost his son, can he stand losing...ah, what's this? Can he stand losing not just one, but both his grandsons?"

Romulus's eyes widened, and he cursed himself for not controlling his thoughts. Now the demon knew...

Mentis laughed even harder. "That's how it is, isn't it? Your twin grandsons' souls are connected! How interesting! If one dies, so does the other. What's the other's name...Feliciano? Jeez, for a top-notch hunter, your mind is like an open book!"

"Shut up!" he roared back, feeling another great surge of fury. "You have no right to speak his name. I swear I'll kill you!"

"Now, is that any way to talk to the one who's in control of your grandsons' fate?" Mentis said mockingly. "So, headmaster, are you going to surrender quietly or am I going to have to...persuade you?" For a tense moment, Romulus didn't answer, his expression unreadable. "So that's how it's going to be, huh? Well, all the more fun for me," Mentis chuckled, raising one arm, which suddenly morphed into a jagged barb, glistening wickedly in the moonlight. Without another word, Mentis whirled around to face his captive, and before Romulus could say anything, the demon thrust his barb into Lovino's midsection mercilessly, immediately drawing blood which flowed out from the wound hot and sticky as Mentis withdrew, grinning.

"_Lovino_!" Romulus shouted in horror.

A muffled cry had escaped Lovino, who did everything he could to ignore the immense pain for his grandfather's sake. Tears of absolute agony welled in his eyes, but he held them back, although the deep wound was excruciating, so much so that his thoughts became fragmented.

Mentis gave another sardonic laugh. "Just imagine that the other twin is experiencing the same pain! It excites me! Now, Romulus, are you going to bow before me, or shall I have some more fun?" he asked, licking the blood off of his barb maliciously.

"Don't do it!" Lovino said ardently, his voice was coarse and wrought with pain, yet demanding, "You can beat him!"

But his grandfather didn't respond to him, but just locked eyes with the demon, and Lovino, to his dismay, could already see his decision.

* * *

Ludwig and Feliciano were running through the campus along the cobblestone paths, heading for Alice's cafe in order to obtain one of her potions that could increase the strength of a mundane mortal. No doubt Ludwig would need that concoction, if he was to stand even a sliver of a chance against a real demon. The campus was large, however, and getting from the main office to the cafe took time.

They were almost there, when out of nowhere, Feliciano let out a blood-curling scream, a sudden stab of pain piercing his stomach, and he fell to his knees, hugging his midsection, eyes tearing up. Alarmed, Ludwig skidded to a halt, then rushed over to kneel by his friend. "Feliciano! What happened?"

That's when he saw the blood from the wound beginning to cover Feliciano's hand, and his expression full of agony. Without another moment's hesitation, Ludwig quickly shed his jacket and used it to put pressure on his friend's bloody wound.

"Lovino...he's in trouble," Feliciano croaked through a clenched jaw, a tear escaping his eye. "If he dies...so do I."

"He won't die," Ludwig shook his head, still pressing with the jacket, which was soaking in the crimson fluid. "Your brother's stronger than that. And our friends are out there! They'll protect him." Outwardly, he insisted this positively for Feliciano's sake, but inside, terrible helplessness was enveloping him. He couldn't let Feliciano die, but there was no way he could save him like this! There was no one else on campus he could turn to for emergency help. But he had to do something! "You can't stay like this," Ludwig murmured, "You need to lie down before you pass out." Then he realized that with an abrasion like that, Feliciano wasn't capable of moving very far, and he bit his lip. "L-let's at least move you next to a wall so you can lean against it."

Feliciano nodded, and slung his arm over the German, and very carefully the two headed for the nearest building, until finally Ludwig was able to gingerly set his friend down, his back against the wall so he could rest. Ludwig continued attempting to stop the bleeding with his jacket, but he knew that it would be no use if Lovino was slain in battle. _Please_, he pleaded inside his head, _someone save him!_

* * *

With a calm disposition befitting a warrior who held no shame, Romulus drove his blade into the ground, and stepped forward. "Damnit, Nonno!" Lovino protested, "Why?!"

"I didn't get the chance to save my son. The least I can do is save my grandsons," Romulus said softly.

Mentis simpered mischievously. "I'm glad you feel that way." With a snap of his fingers, black vines of demonic essence shot out from the ground below Romulus's feel, wrapping around his torso, arms, and legs. And then, with an abrupt jerk, the vines brought the headmaster to the ground so that he lay flat on his chest, but could still look up at the demon. "Isn't this just great?" Mentis clapped animatedly. "The mighty Romulus Vargas lying at my feet. I was so excited when Illedris gave me and chameleon here this mission! Of course, we weren't the only demons with this mission, but I knew we'd be the ones who could get to you first."

"You have me now, so let Lovino go," Romulus demanded fiercely from where he lay.

"Actually," Mentis chuckled menacingly, "I think I won't."

"You bastard!" Romulus shouted, struggling against the vines violently. But the vines were arranged on him in such a way that his palms could not come his contact with the tendrils, thus restraining his angels' light.

"You know, as a Purifying Light hunter," Mentis mused, turning towards Lovino, who scowled at him with loathing and rancor. "You've caused us demons much trouble. It's time for you to learn to fear demons, Romulus, to know the meaning of true desperation." He drew closer to his captive, tracing a finger from his non-deformed hand down Lovino's cheek. Lovino spat at him spitefully, but the demon just waved it off casually. "How shall we begin, my specimen? We could start by cutting your chest open, so that I may show your grandfather how feebly your heart begins to beat. Now that does sound fun!"

"Don't hurt him!" Romulus's voice cracked, the images behind Mentis's words plaguing his mind.

"Or," Mentis went on, "I could severe your legs from your body! I wonder how that would affect the other twin somewhere out there. Would his legs just fall off as well?" Mentis tilted his head at Lovino, reading his mind. "You're not sure, huh? Well, it could be an experiment. Although, I'd rather split your skull open. It's refreshing to see the insides of a mortal's head. It quite reminds me of a watermelon, with all that red on the inside." The demon glanced down to see Romulus blanch, but still fought against the vines. Then he returned his attention to Lovino. "Hmm...You have nice eyes. I think I'll keep one as a trophy. Yes, I think I will."

"_No!_" Romulus cried, but the vines were constrained him.

"Let's begin, then," the demon smirked. "Why don't we go through all of my ideas then? Starting with taking a look at your heart." Mentis brought his barbed arm to the top of Lovino's chest, but not piercing flesh just yet.

"Don't look," Lovino said, just loud enough for his grandfather to hear. He closed his eyes and braced himself, promising himself he would use all his willpower not to scream. _I'm sorry, Feliciano_, he thought sadly.

Mentis's arm tensed, ready to plunge into his victim, and-

And a battle axe sailed through the air, spinning end over end until it lodged its blade into the chameleon's right eye. The large demon screech shrilling, and in its pain retracted its two tongues, dropping Lovino to the grassy forest floor. "What?!" Mentis whipped his head around, searching for the source of the weapon, his eyes widening. But he was a second too late. A hunter came barreling out of the forest, unarmed, and tackled Mentis, knocking him off his feet.

With impetuous ferocity, Antonio assailed the demon with his bare hands, landing as much blows as he could before the irked demon threw him off. Antonio skidded back a few feet, but agilely regained steady footing, fiery fortitude plain in his green eyes. "Nobody gets away with hurting my friends!" Antonio seethed.

As soon as he had made contact with the demon, the vines around Romulus's body vanished, and the headmaster stood up and withdrew his sword from the ground, ready to help Antonio.

"Wait," the Spanish student held his hand up, still glaring at Mentis, "He's mine. Lovi's going to need your help." Romulus blinked, surprise by Antonio's unyielding tone, then nodded, before hurrying to his grandson.

"You pissant," Mentis spat, also standing up. "I let my guard down because I was so absorbed by my excitement, but now you've pissed me off! You won't be able to touch me again."

"We'll see about that," Antonio growled, charging the demon with nothing but his fists. Mentis easily ducked under his first swing, but then Antonio drove his knee into his stomach, sending Mentis wobbling back a few steps, shocked. But he didn't stop there. Antonio kept pressing the demon, while Mentis began to fight back, but from the look in the demon's eyes, he could tell he was confused. Their one on one brawl continued, Antonio being extra cautious of Mentis's barbed arm, but the two seemed equal in combat.

"Why? What makes your mind so special?!" Mentis griped, lunging with his barb. "Why is it so hard to read?! Or are you just so dense that you don't even think?"

Antonio dodged, evading the pointed tip of his arm, "My soul skill is a lot like your ability, so I know how to defend against it!"

"Is that so?" Mentis began to smirk again, "Then I'll have to step up my game." Suddenly, the demon surged forward, landing a solid strike with his fist square in Antonio's chest. The hunter stumbled back, and felt a strange influence fall over him, like something heavy was weighing on his shoulders. Except it wasn't just affecting his physical body, but was trying to pry open his soul so to speak. Mentis was trying to force his way into Antonio's mind, coming closer to overcoming Antonio's soul defenses. This preternatural burden began to slow him down, and soon Mentis had the upper hand.

"Filthy, weak human," Mentis said as he slammed the side of his fist into Antonio's cheek bone, "Did you really think you could beat me like that? Not even the most guarded souls can escape my powers." Another fist to the gut made Antonio cough out blood, before taking yet another hit across the jaw. "For your arrogance, I swear I'll uncover the very depth of your mind and soul! I'll dig up every horrid memory and thought you've struggled to hold down, and I'll bring them to the surface, making you relive them over and over again until you're begging me to take your life!"

Antonio didn't respond; he was too busy trying to defend himself, but the demon was moving faster than he was now, breaking through his guard. Meanwhile, the intense burden trying to reach the core of his soul was only getting worse, and Antonio was drawing terribly close to submission with each waking second. Mentis could see victory near, his lips curving into a spine-chilling sneer.

At the same time, Romulus was doing away with the chameleon, which was seriously ticked off after being stabbed in the face with an axe. Lovino wasn't worried about him though; it was Antonio who was in grave danger of losing, and losing quickly. However, he was helpless in his state, blood covering his clothes and the wound still sapping his strength. He couldn't even stand on his own, enervated of his energy. But fear for his friend was growing more profound in his heart, as he watched Antonio suffer Mentis's beatings relentlessly, sweat dripping from his forehead, that strained, fraught expression that precluded defeat.

That's when Lovino realized Mentis had a weakness.

Why the fuck hadn't he seen it sooner? Mentis could only read one mind at a time. He should have known earlier. Mentis had found out about Feliciano's link to Lovino's soul when his grandfather had thought it, but Lovino had thought it so much sooner, yet Mentis was only reading Romulus's mind at the time. That's why he only found out about their soul connection then, not when Lovino had thought it. And right now Mentis was preoccupied attempting to break into Antonio's mind, which meant that this was probably Lovino's only opportunity...

But how could this help him? So what he could only read one person at a time. Then Lovino's gaze fell on the battle axe lying a few feet away from where he lay. With every ounce of his little strength left, he reached out and grasped its shaft, and an idea popped into his head.

"Antonio!" he called loudly, "You have to let go!" This startled his friend, who threw him a confused glance after narrowly dodging another stab by the barbed arm. "If this bastard wants to see what your soul's holding back, then show him everything! And I mean _everything_!"

Mentis, who was still trying to read Antonio's mind, could not read what Lovino was planning, and the Italian was hoping for the best, though he knew that this could be miraculously successful, or extremely bad. Fortunately, Mentis, in his cocky demeanor, assumed Lovino was caught in a state of hopelessness, and was telling his friend to give up because the fight was futile. But Antonio finally understood what he was getting at. He withdrew a few steps back from the demon, regrouping his concentration, and closed his eyes with a deep breath, letting the defenses around his soul come down.

The demon took this as a sign of surrender, and laughed triumphantly, as the weight that had been trying to crush Antonio's soul poured into him pervasively, eager to read what Antonio had been harboring all his life. That's when Antonio did what Lovino told him to. He let go.

It really was like breaking a dam that held back the pressure of raging water. Once the dam was broken, the water behind it would rush out unchecked, just like with Antonio's soul. But it wasn't just Antonio's own emotions, memories, and thoughts that were released, it was the that of the twenty one souls he had read as well. All those pent up sensations and feelings erupted from within Antonio's soul, seemingly without end. Antonio himself could feel his own spirit being swept up in the torrent of emotions and memories, experiencing so much at once that his mind was beginning to go numb. This is what he had feared would happen if he let go, but this was his only choice. Now he just had to fight against the current of sentiments to keep from completely losing his sanity. As he did, he felt snippets of emotions and fragments of memories that whirled past him; there was Kim's joy when she first made it into Class A, Francis's anger on his first assignment against a demon who had murdered a family, Arthur's panic as a little boy meeting his first demon, Lovino's desperation when he begged the reaper to save his brother, and Gilbert's horror upon seeing the image of his dead brother in Metus's illusion. Even more surged forth, so overwhelmingly that if Antonio had experienced them all by himself he was sure he would have lost the ability to feel emotion altogether.

But Antonio wasn't alone in this. Because Mentis had so fervently divulged into Antonio's soul, he was met with the tempest directly, and the "everything" Lovino had mentioned struck the demon like a tsunami, overloading the demon's capacity to sort out one emotion from the other. The joys, tribulations, dreams, and hardships of twenty two people were flowing from Antonio into his essence, causing Mentis to stumble back in an attempt to get away from the hunter, as if that would stop the gush of sentiment.

It, however, did not, and soon enough, Mentis's fading smirk was replaced with a look so contorted with madness and psychosis, that Lovino winced just from watching him. Shrieking in insanity, the demon put his hands to his ears trying to stop the overflow in his own mind, and while he was utterly distracted, Lovino flung the battle axe with all his might. Antonio was able to focus just enough to catch the shaft with one hand, twirl the weapon above his head once, then drive the blade across Mentis's torso. With another shrill screech, the demon's pupils rolled back into his head, leaving only the whites in his eyes, until another moment later his form shattered into millions of black remnants, which also disintegrated until there was nothing but dirt on the forest floor.

Without wasting time to relish in victory, Antonio immediately knelt by Lovino's side, just as Romulus had finished destroying the chameleon with his Purifying Light. "Lovi! Are you all right?" Antonio asked frenetically.

"I was fucking stabbed in the stomach! Unless that classifies as being all right," Lovino answered snappishly as first, but then his tone softened as his disposition shifted, almost drastically, as he threw his arms around his friend, "But if you hadn't come, I'd have been a lot worse, tomato bastard."

"I made a promise, didn't I? I'm not one to go back on my word so easily," Antonio chuckled, hugging back warmly.

"Thanks, Antonio," Romulus said sincerely as he came over, and patted him on the back, "That was one of the greatest things I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot! I'm indebted to you, for saving my grandsons."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Antonio smiled, being the modest hunter he was.

"No, I mean it," the headmaster insisted, almost to the point of passionately, "I don't give a damn what the Council says, you are moving back up to Class A! I'm not going to be the one holding you back anymore. Anyways, we need to get Lovi to Vash, before he loses too much blood. Don't want him to pass out on us."

"Right," Antonio said, already slinging Lovino's arm over his shoulder and helping him up carefully.

"You two just focus on heading to our medic. I'll clear a path and make sure no demons can touch you," Romulus strategized, wielding his sword with renewed conviction. "And then from there we can save our school."

* * *

However, by the front gate, the tide of the battle had taken a turn for the worst. Without the headmaster as their main powerhouse force against demons, there just wasn't enough Class A hunters to make up for his absence while he was with Mentis. Not only that, but the hunters' individual strengths were diminishing steadily as the battle dragged on. In fact, some of the lesser skilled hunters were beginning to fall, unable to withstand the brunt of the demon invasion, but Yao didn't want to dwell on that too much. He, Kiku, and Mei were the closest hunters to the ironwork gate, doing everything they could to keep the monsters at bay, but the army of the wicked proved to be too much.

Even with all three of them pushing their bodies past their physical limits, they could not stop every demon that attacked them at once. As a number of demons engaged them, distracting them from the real threat, a demonic rhinoceros, a large creature with one protruding, enormous horn charged the gate. Yao's way was blocked by another wraith at that moment, and Kiku, too, was hindered from killing the rhino in time. The demon's incredible horn crashed into the center of the gate, forcing it open with one great tackle. As the gate flew open upon impact, a few demons seized their chance and rushed through into the campus. True, there were no mundane mortals waiting to be innocent victims inside, but Yao could not allow such monstrosities to roam his school, his home. It was more than pride, protecting the Academy; it was about preserving the hearth, the one place Yao could ever feel safe and secure alongside friends.

Yao quickly slew the wraith in front of him and dashed inside the campus, Kiku and Mei trailing just behind him with the same resolve. As soon as the three passed the boundary inside, they worked together to shut the gate again from within, bolting it locked once more before more demons could enter. As Yao turned around again, he saw two groups of demons splitting off into different directions to deface the Academy and search for mortal souls to eat. "You two go after the demons that went that way," Kiku told Yao and Mei, pointing, "And I'll handle the others."

Knowing there was no time to argue, Yao nodded, and he and Mei swiftly turned on their heels in pursuit of their group while Kiku darted after his, katana at hand. They needed to handle this quickly, then return to the invasion front. Unfortunately, the Venator Academy campus was wide and expansive, and Yao knew he had to catch up to the demons before they forced him to search all of the grounds. This in mind, Yao ran faster, still gripping his sword tightly, until he could see that he was closing in on the demons ahead, his steps light and nimble on the cobblestone paths. In the back of his mind, he was vaguely aware of the fact he was near the infirmary, knowing he could use his familiarity of the place to his advantage.

Finally, Yao had caught up with them, and with a fatal finesse, began to do away with them one by one, moving with fluid, supple attacks, finding the weak spots in his opponents. Mei reached him a moment later, snapping her fighting fans, two oriental palm fans with small, sharp spikes rising up from each spoke. Though she was only Class B, and her combat skills couldn't compare to Yao's, she was still a competent hunter, swiping, jabbing, and slashing with her fans in graceful movements, almost as if she were engaged in a deadly dance, opening and closing her fans at speeds that would have amazed any other spectator. The demons attempted to fight back, but the two hunters were too lithe, too sprightly, to bite or claw or hit directly. Compared to Mei and Yao, this particular group of demons was too power based, rather than agility based, too slow to keep up. A few minutes later, the demons were nothing but ashes.

His work here finished, Yao straightened up, and was about to head back to the front gate with Mei, when suddenly, movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned toward it immediately, assuming it was a demon he had missed.

His jaw dropped and his heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be...!

Mei saw his expression and followed his line of sight, and she too was overcome with tremendous shock, rendering her utterly speechless and frozen in her spot.

"T-Tao?" Yao stammered in disbelief, his voice coarse, full of jumbled emotions coming over him at once.

There he was, his little brother, standing a few feet a away from him, looking perfectly healthy even though he had been in a coma for about a year. His dark brown, choppy hair, which Yao had cut only a few weeks ago to keep it from getting to long in his sleep, looked revitalized and even glossy, like it used to when Tao still roomed with his older brother. His light brown eyes sparkled with life, with a gaze that Yao thought he would never see again. Color had returned to his cheeks, skin no longer pale and sickly, and his muscles were functioning normally, despite the fact that he hadn't used them in so long, and that they should have been a bit degraded from his time in the coma. Usually, after waking from such extended slumber, patients had to regain muscle strength just to walk and exert themselves, but Tao looked as if the coma had never happened, as if he was just woken up from a short cat nap, as if he had been up and about just yesterday.

But Yao had seen him yesterday. Eyes closed, hooked up to a machine that monitored his heartbeat and an IV that kept him alive. And yet, Yao wasn't concerned with the how at the moment. Overwhelming joy and relief poured into him, causing his eyes to water with tears of pure happiness. He could feel his heart welling inside of him with the jubilation and euphoria that came with finally seeing his little brother standing awake again. In his elation, the older brother rushed to the younger, dropping his jian sword and embracing him tenderly, feeling the warmth that rolled off his body, proving that he was, indeed, truly alive. Yao pulled back, smiling sincerely, "Tao! I-I thought I'd never see you walk again! How are you here?"

Instead of answering, Tao stared back at his brother curiously, without saying a word. Then, without any warning whatsoever, Yao caught of glimpse of something shiny in Tao's hand, which shot out so fast, that Yao barely had time to react. Instinctively, Yao had recoiled, but not quick enough. The knife had left a small gash across Yao's left cheek, blood beginning to trickle down his face.

"Yao!" Mei cried, horrified.

But Yao was staring at Tao in complete shock. The look in the younger's eyes warped into something impish, and an evil grin grew on his lips, distorting his usually handsome features. "So we meet again, hunter," Tao laughed impiously, tasting the blood off the tip of his knife. "How's that Mark coming along? The curse almost finished yet? I'm surprised you're not dead yet."

Yao's eyes widened. "You..."

"That's right," Tao smirked sinisterly, making Yao's heart tighten at the sight of it, "Never thought you'd see the demon Nihilum again, now did you?"

* * *

From the Author: How's that for a twist?

Laura is Monaco, Lars is Netherlands, Adnan is Turkey, Kim is Vietnam, Yong Soo is Korea, Romulus is Rome, Mei is Taiwan, Tao is Hong Kong. I'll let you guess who Peter is.

Still remember Nihilum? If not, you can revisit the last part of Chapter 21, but in summary, it is the demon of nothing, who can possess corpses that do not have souls to resist his presence, but during the invasion, there happened to be a body that didn't have a soul...

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'd appreciate any feedback and comments! Thanks again for reading, and until next chapter!


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own hetalia. Seriously.

* * *

Nihilum. The demon who could possess that which does not have a soul to resist it.

"Get out! Get out of his body!" Yao shouted, hysterically, at the demon.

"Never," Nihilum sneered, "I've finally got a body that isn't a corpse! A living, breathing human body whose flesh is not decaying, who has muscle and warm blood in his veins! I never imagined I'd find such a host without a soul to resist my presence! I feel so empowered, so refreshed!"

"It's not yours!" Yao repudiated ardently, "I won't let you take it!"

"Why? No one else is using it," Nihilum shrugged Tao's shoulders. "In fact I did this body a favor by using my demon powers to restore it to his optimal health, rather than the feeble form from comatose. From the way you hugged me, I assume this body used to belong to a dear one? Your younger brother perhaps? What happened to him? Where's his soul now? Accidentally lose it somewhere?" He laughed Tao's laugh cruelly.

"Be quiet!" Yao yelled in frustration and distress.

"We won't let you keep his body," Mei protested, readying her fans, an intense conviction coming over her. It was the angriest she had ever been, seeing a demon using Tao's body for its own evil purposes. How dare it do such a thing! It was atrocious, unthinkable, and unforgivable.

"I don't think you can stop me," Nihilum simpered, "Unless you want to destroy my host. Then no one gets the body."

Yao clenched his jaw, nerve-racking anxiety building up within his soul. What was he supposed to do?! The demon was right, without Francis or Kim, the only way to kill Nihilum was to kill Tao. But his brother's soul was still out there! If he killed his body, he would never see his brother again. There was no way for him to drive the demon from his host, leaving him with only two options, fight or let the demon keep it. But neither option was bearable!

"I thought by now the curse would have taken your life," Nihilum mused, "But I guess you've just been careful with your soul skill. But I've got an even better idea. I'll take your life right now, using your brother's hands, and devour your soul with his mouth! Torturous, isn't it? To be killed by your own little brother!"

Fists quaking at his side, Yao still didn't give an answer, scrambled thoughts plagued by extreme stress and indecision running through his mind frenziedly. He recalled the time when Antonio had been possessed by Ater Ignis, but in that case, Antonio's own will had been strong enough to repel the demon's essence in the end. But Tao's soul was not even there to claim his body. With an uneven breath he remembered Gilbert and Francis agreeing that if Antonio could not be saved, they would not hesitate to achieve their main objective and kill the demon at whatever cost.

Nihilum could easily see the uncertainty in Yao's eyes, and knew he could exploit that weakness. Now that its powerful essence had rejuvenated Tao's degenerating body, he moved with startling speed and agility. With an uncanny finesse, Nihilum lashed out at Yao with his knife, flashing Tao's pearly whites with an unnatural smile of sadistic delight. Thoughts still haywire, Yao was barely able to process what was happening, and stumbled back, the blade barely missing his throat. Suddenly it dawned on him, that he had no choice now but to face Nihilum, and win at the necessary sacrifice. Quickly, Yao regained steady footing, and assumed a fighting stance, though he was too far from his sword to pick it up off the ground without turning his back on his opponent.

Abruptly, Nihilum straightened up, a frown on his face, staring into Yao's eyes with Tao's. His voice was soft, and timid. "Are...are you really going to fight me? Your own brother?"

"You-you aren't my brother!" Yao refuted, doing whatever he could to keep his voice from cracking, "Tao would want me to do whatever it takes to survive, and to kill you!"

Now Nihilum laughed a cruel laugh Yao thought he would never hear from his younger brother's voice. "Now how would you know what he would have wanted? It's your fault he's gone, right? I can see the guilt and shame clearly in your soul." Then, with alarming dexterity, Nihilum attacked once more, slashing and lunging with his sharpened weapon, aiming to strike a critical wound. Yao evaded the knife's edge, using his keen hunter senses to anticipate the demon's next move, but made no move to counterattack. Meanwhile, Nihilum continued to poison his conscience with biting words from Tao's own mouth, "Because you failed him as his older brother, you've taken away a year of his life, and all the years he would have lived!"

With every word, Yao's confidence and tenacity began to crumble and falter, as bottled up shame and detrimental guilt pervaded his soul, bogging down his usually sharp, warrior senses. What was more, images flashed before his mind, memories of his beloved younger brother before he was lost. He had never seen a look so malicious and bloodthirsty in his brother's eyes, as if they were windows to view the demon that dwelt within. The look itself was enough to unhinge Yao, to throw off his superb skills, as the knife in Tao's hand continued to slash and swipe across his body, managing to tear his clothes and even leave more than a few cuts on Yao's torso and arms.

And yet, in the back of his mind, Yao knew he could counterattack, and it was more than possible that he could fight back without his sword and probably even slay Nihilum if he pushed himself hard enough. But Yao could not bring himself to move on the offensive. As much as he wanted to rid this world of the demon, he just couldn't. Not while it resided in that body. And Yao also knew that if he wasn't going to fight back, he was going to lose everything.

Yao was breaking; he was on the verge of forfeiting everything he had been, and Mei could see it. She had been watching the duel in utter dismay and desperation, yet could only stand there helplessly. Partly because the two moved too fast for her to join the fight smoothly, and partly because she wasn't sure she could bring herself to fight Tao either. But that wasn't Tao, was it? That wasn't the person she had fallen in love with.

But did it matter whether it really was Tao or not? Even if it wasn't, it was still his body, and if that body were to be destroyed, she would never be able to truly see him again. On the other hand, if Nihilum killed them, she and Yao would never see him again anyway, and she knew in her heart that Tao would never want that to happen. She knew he would have readily given his life for theirs.

As soon as this revelation hit her, she snapped back to reality just in time to see it happen. Nihilum drove his blade upward in an arch-like motion, attempting to catch Yao under the chin. Yao leaned back just in time to avoid having his jaw cut open, but was forced off balance. With a knowing grin, Nihilum dropped to the floor swiftly, kicking his leg out and sweeping it across in a circular motion, knocking Yao off his feet before he could recover. With a distinct thud, Yao landed hard on his back, and with a whiplash, hit his head on the cobblestone path, the sharp pain disorienting his vision. Meanwhile Nihilum straightened up, laughter on his lips, his blade glinting in the moonlight. Mei knew this would be her only chance to stop him.

Before the demon could raise his knife against Yao, Mei sprung forward on the balls of her feet lightly and nimbly, flipping out her barbed fighting fans and inserting herself between Nihilum and Yao as she took up a fighting stance. "Enough! I can't stand aside and let you disgrace Tao's image anymore!" she seethed, her expression hardening.

"Ha, I can already see it in your eyes, foolish girl," Nihilum snickered, "You're no match for me. Definitely not Class A material. And, your greatest weakness, I can see your affections for this body harbored deep in your soul. You can't kill me like this."

"My affections aren't for Tao's body," Mei shook her head, determined, "They're for his soul! And I will kill you if that's what it takes, _because_ I love him!" Without another word, she surged forward, sinuously closing one fan and jabbing it towards his neck, all the fan's spikes facing frontward. She pushed back all the doubts she had left to the back of her mind, even though she knew that if she did what she had to do, Tao would be lost to her forever.

Nihilum, however, just sneered mockingly, ducking under her strike easily, before thrusting his foot into her stomach. Still pressing forward, he followed with an uppercut put that struck under her chin while she was still off balance from his kick, knocking the wind out of her, then drove his palm into her collarbone with such force, she tumbled back quite a few feet, a cry escaping her lips. The demon laughed Tao's laugh again, cracking his knuckles in bloodlust and savage pleasure.

Even though her body ached considerably where he hit her, Mei picked herself off the ground, still clutched both fighting fans, taking deep breaths to recover faster. Then with astonishing speed the demon was assailing her once more, stabbing his own knife with incredible aim. Mei sidestepped at the last possible instant, the blade cutting so close its tip ripped the side of her qipao just above her hip. Moving with quick reflexes herself, Mei whirled around and used the momentum to slash her closed fan at his face with all the strength she could muster.

But Nihilum was one step ahead of her. He jumped back before she could make contact, flawlessly landing a double back hand spring with an arrogant smirk. When he engaged her again, this time he moved even faster, throwing rapid punches with his free hand and lashing out with his knife. Mei could barely keep up, doing everything she could to keep a level head. Nihilum spun around and attempted to catch her jaw with his outward extended heel. She ducked, but as she did so, dropped her guard, and the demon was able to knock one of her fans out of her hand with his.

A second later, he whacked the other fan out of her grasp, leaving her defenseless. Simpering, he plunged his blade deep into her chest. The dreadful color of scarlet began to taint her clothes around the wound, and she crumpled to ground, the pain in her chest so great she could not even manage to scream. A few tears spilled from her eyes, knowing she had lost, permanently.

Tao's laughter resounded off the nearby buildings.

"_MEI!_" Yao cried hysterically, his vision just barely returning to normal.

"Don't worry, she ain't dead just yet," Nihilum told him, amused, "I missed her heart. But she'll bleed out in a matter of moments."

This was his fault, Yao knew, for holding back when he had the chance. Now he had not only lost his younger brother, but his dear friend! A mixture of anger and madness sprouting inside him, Yao sprung to his feet, and lunged at the demon, his fist cocked back for a decisive blow.

Nihilum leaned out of the way just enough so that Yao's fist brushed against his cheek, and while Yao's arm was still outstretched, he parried and grabbed his wrist. With a powerful pull, the demon pulled Yao's arm around and hurled him into the ground forcefully. As Yao crashed into the stone floor, the impact on his head further jarred his senses, making him severely dizzy, to the point his coordination was thrown completely off, a sure sign of a concussion. Before he could make another move, Nihilum seized Yao by his neck with both hands, dropping his knife, knowing victory was already his. Menacingly, he lifted Yao above his own head so that he dangled a few inches off the ground, applying his supernatural strength to Tao's arms, his eyes alight with fiendish delight. His fingers clasped tightly around Yao's throat with an iron grip, threatening to crush his windpipe, beginning to suffocate the hunter.

Yao could not breathe. Panic filled his eyes as he tried in vain to pry Tao's hands from his neck. His head was throbbing, and his lungs were on fire, screaming for oxygen. Any amount of strength Yao still had left him in an instant, his arms going limp at his sides, his eyelids dropping in defeat.

"So long, foolish hunter," Nihilum snickered, "Your soul is mine!"

* * *

Kim had a similar plan to Yong Soo's, darting through the ruined streets of the village, checking for survivors and demons systematically, yet hurriedly. So far, she had yet to come across any survivors, and had slain quite a considerable number of demons without too much trouble. The worst part was running through the carnage, seeing all the corpses of people she had failed. However, as a Class A hunter, she had learned long ago to mute such negative emotions in order to keep her mind and soul as focused and acute as possible. There would be time to lament later.

As she continued down a particular street, she noticed that the number of demons here increased the closer she got to the end of the block, and by the time she had fought her way there, she saw why. The street had opened up into a magnificent plaza, a large four-story building with a clock tower standing in the very center, still intact but surrounded by a multitude of demons. Then she realized that there were people still in there, she could see them through some of the windows, frightened out of their minds but having nowhere to escape to. There were even some survivors still out in the plaza, running for their lives towards the entrance of the building, which Kim deduced must have been the town hall.

Then she saw Ivan, a couple of yards in front of the entrance, keeping the demons as bay while mundane mortals who made it dashed inside. He was brandishing a metal pipe with a sink head, fighting like the intense, powerhouse hunter that he was. She had no idea where the pipe came from, but it could have come from any plumbing system in the village. Kim caught sight of Adnan too, in the midst of the horde of demons, battling multiple foes at once, but she wasn't worried about him. Her teacher was more than capable of holding his own. Even though she had split up with him a while ago, she guessed that the layout of the village was structured so that all of the main streets met up in the center, at the town hall where they were now. Natalya must have been somewhere around here too, among the wicked creatures trying to bust into the building and devour what was left of the village.

"Kim!" she heard a familiar voice call. Yong Soo was running to her from her left, with a boy about the age of twelve following right behind him, the two of them also just emerging from another street into the plaza. "What's going on? Why are all the demons concentrating here now?"

She pointed to the town hall, "Most of the survivors had gone into that building. Ivan, and Adnan are protecting it, and I think Natalya is, too. It's the safest place as of right now, with all of us here to guard it. We need to make sure the demons don't get inside."

Yong Soo gestured to the blonde-haired kid next to him, "Then I need to get Peter inside, too. Then I can help you guys protect it." When Kim nodded, he turned to Peter, "I need you to stay really close to me and run as fast as you can, okay? I'm going to get you inside with the other survivors."

"And I'll cover you," Kim added, taking up her spear. After Peter nodded tentatively, Yong Soo grabbed his wrist and the three of them began to dash towards the entrance of the town hall. Kim went first, a few paces in front of them to clear out as many demons as she could with her weapon to make a direct path to their destination, while Yong Soo held Peter's wrist firmly in one hand and his dagger in the other, destroying any demons that Kim may have missed.

Most of the demons were facing the building, their backs to Kim, so at first she didn't have to handle too much resistance as she cut down the monsters with the spear, but as they drew closer to the building, the battle grew more complicated. The crowd of demons became more dense and compact; now every time Kim slew a demon, another would just take its place almost immediately, until it was impossible for her to make any forward progress. In a matter of minutes she found herself surrounded by chaos, and after risking a quick glance around herself, she realized with a jolt that she could no longer see Yong Soo or Peter. As another monster leapt out at her, she thrust her spear into its heart, and as it disintegrated she called out frantically, "Yong Soo!"

"I'm over here!" she heard his voice call back somewhere off to her right. He sounded close enough to be in the nearby vicinity, but too far away to pinpoint his exact location and reach him. "Don't worry about us! I'll get Peter to the safe-house myself! Just take care of yourself!"

"Be careful!" she replied just loud enough for him to hear, knowing that he was right; she had no need to worry about him. So, maintaining keen focus, she did what she had been trained to do for years: hunt demons. The warrior senses, anticipation, and combat skills came naturally, her weapon swinging and moving as if it was an extension of her own body. She had to be careful though; in such a compressed place, demons could easily try to kill her from behind. To avoid this, she made sure she was always moving about, often switching which way she was facing, always keeping aware of her surroundings.

Kim didn't just use her spear either. Her soul skill had taken years to perfect and use to its fullest potential. She could not only attack other mortals' souls through direct contact, but she could even strike demonic essences that way as well. It wasn't nearly as powerful as Romulus's Purifying Light, but she could definitely weaken her opponents by enervating their strength.

A few demons did giver her trouble, however, as the fighting continued. Another fire demon almost got the better of her, its flames coming so close they singed the ends of her hair, leaving the ground next to her smoldering with red embers. Meanwhile, another demon with a larger, burlier build, thinking that two versus one hunter would increase the chance of victory, charged Kim while her back was turned. She saw it coming, and skillfully crouched down at the last second, just as the demon was about to tackle her, causing it to trip over her bent form. Unable to change its momentum, this demon was sent flying into the fire demon, squashing it to the point that its flames were extinguished.

Then something out of place caught her eyes. A few yards away, she saw someone screaming, running towards the town hall in pure fear, a mortal man, with a demon chasing after him hungrily. But this demon was unlike any other she had ever come across before. It was humanoid, but instead of skin or shadows or scales, it was covered in a slimy, thick, green substance from head to toe. Her grip on her spear tightening, she started forward, to save the man's life, when suddenly the demon spewed more of that slime out of its mouth, dousing the man's body. Immediately, his flesh began to burn as he fell, absolute agony causing him to scream shrilly from the acid. The demon stood over the man, chuckling evilly, reaching down to take his soul.

Instead, a spear sprouted from its chest, making it stumble back a few steps, before melting into oblivion where it stood. Kim rushed over to the man's side, but did not touch him, for the poisonous substance had spread over most of his body. The sight of him made Kim want to puke; in fact, she would have if she had had anything to vomit out. The acid had already disfigured much of his features, leaving sweltering, broiling skin exposing his entrails. Even his face burned as the substance continued eating away at his lineaments as he screamed in agony, a torrid, grotesque prospect to behold. Nausea began to rise up from Kim's stomach, and she gulped, her breath hitching as she watched in horror, her hand over her mouth, helpless to save him. She could not even begin to imagine the pain he was going through, his wide, bloodshot eyes reflecting an excruciation she had never seen before.

Somehow, in his torment, his tortured eyes found hers, and he tried to raise a pleading hand in her direction, a hand that was beginning to degrade away until she could actually see the white of his finger bones. It took all his willpower and strength to beseech her with a coarse, pain-ridden voice, "P-please, h-help me!"

Tears threatened to spring into her eyes, but she held them back. She knew what she had to do. There was no other option. Her spear had been destroyed by the acid when it struck the demon, but she had two other spare daggers hidden in her clothes. With reflexes so fast the man could not even see what she was doing, she swiftly pulled a dagger from her belt, and with a flick of her wrist, the blade embedded itself into the man's forehead, killing him instantly.

She took a wobbly step back, her shoulders trembling, jaw clenched, as the man's arm fell limply to the ground. It was the only thing she could do to help him, to end his suffering. But she had never, in all her trials as a demon hunter, had to take a human life before. Never.

Suddenly, a flurry of intense emotions spiked within her soul. How dare they, those wretched demons, force her into this kind of situation? There were low life scum, and they had to be vanquished, all of them, from this world. All these villagers, these innocent people, had their lives brutally taken away from them, and if the demons weren't stopped, so many more would lose their lives as well. A mixture of anger, grief, rage, and even a little psychosis swirled about within her, but she found she was okay with that. An enormous amount of energy welled up inside her, and she knew just how to channel it.

Kim pulled out her other spare dagger, as her physical strength and warrior senses increased exponentially with the influx of the energy spike. The ability to do this is what made the demon hunters so adept, made them the protectors of humanity, and Kim was one of the best of them around.

And like a whirlwind, she was off in an instant, assailing the nearest demon with deadly precision and poise, slaying it with only one blow, before engaging the next demon, and the one after that, until finally she was facing several demons at once, but none of them ever stood a chance against her like this, at her pinnacle of power.

She fought like a wild tiger, as her battle instincts took full control of her mind, allowing her to fight with the ferocity she needed. Because she had vowed to herself that she would win today, if it was the last thing she ever did.

* * *

Nihilum laughed in cruel amusement as Yao lost consciousness due to lack of oxygen, but just before he could finish the job, he sensed it. Dropping Yao instantly, he jumped out of the way, as the arrow whizzed past his ear. Yao lay on the ground, passed out, but was breathing once again. Nihilum glared in the direction the arrow had come, growling angrily.

Michelle glared back, still holding the crossbow aimed at his face. But she wasn't alone. Kiku stood next to her, narrowing his eyes. Michelle glanced down to see Mei, lying in a pool of her blood, and her stomach flipped, her heart tightening in her chest. "Tao?" she gasped, finally getting a full view of his face, "How could you?!"

"That's not Tao," Kiku shook his head, unsheathing his katana. "That's a demon in his body. I can see it."

"I know you," Nihilum spat, his gaze settling on Kiku, "You were there when I cursed this one." He gestured to Yao.

"So you are Nihilum, the demon of nothing," he replied, steely calm, taking up his curved blade, "And hai, I was there. I am Kiku Honda, the one who will be sending you back to the Underworld tonight."

"Don't be so sure of yourself, insolent hunter," Nihilum growled, "To kill me, you'll have to destroy this body, and from the looks of it, Tao was a friend of yours as well."

"He was a dear friend," Kiku nodded, pointing the tip of his katana at the demon, "Which is why I must destroy you at any means necessary. You will not get away with such atrocities, with abusing his body." As he assumed a fighting stance, he said to Michelle, "Please tend to Mei and Yao. Do whatever you can to save them."

She nodded, though doubtful, "I'll try." As she hurried over to Mei, Kiku attacked, slicing his blade at the demon, who blocked with his knife. But what Nihilum did not expect, Kiku kept pressing forward relentlessly, strike after strike with his katana, and even though the demon was able to check every attack, realization dawned on it that Kiku was serious; he would kill Tao's body if that's what it took.

Because of this conviction, because he was so determined to win, Kiku fought with much more intensity than Yao did, astutely masking any emotion that could be used as a weakness. He held nothing back. Each barrage of slashes and jabs of his blade came with what seemed like renewed energy, with swift and supple movements that characterized his eerily graceful combat style. All of his actions seemed to be perfectly timed, his attack combinations coming one right after the next.

Kiku leapt up, and came down with his blade above his head, before bringing it down forcefully. Nihilum gave an upward block, stopping the katana before it could pierce his skull. Without pausing, Kiku pushed off and switched directions of his attack, this time slicing for his midsection. Nihilum retreated just enough to avoid being hit, but Kiku continued his centripetal motion and spun around, landing a solid kick in his chest, sending Nihilum stumbling back a few steps.

It was then that the demon realized that Kiku really was on a higher level that he had originally anticipated. He was not only Class A, but an experienced, indomitable martial artist. Perhaps the balance were already tipped in Kiku's favor. This was the first time Nihilum had inhabited a living body, and to lose it to Kiku would be unacceptable. This in mind, as soon as the demon steadied his footing, he turned on his heels and fled, running from the fight as fast as he could. Kiku didn't waste a second, and as soon as the demon turned around, he darted after him.

With the boost given to Tao's body by the demonic essence, Nihilum was able to run at an impressive speed. Kiku could see that at the rate he was going, he would lose him, and once again the demon would disappear from his sights for who knows how long. Fortunately, Kiku knew the campus inside and out, having lived there for multiple years, and deduced that Nihilum was heading for the front gate. If the demon beat him there, Nihilum could easily use the chaos of the battle as a cover and slink away, taking Tao's body with him.

So instead of chasing after him directly, Kiku decided to head him off, by cutting through one of the buildings as a shortcut to the ironwork gate. However, it required him to let the demon out of his sight for a few moments, and if in that time Nihilum changed directions, Kiku would never know it. It was a huge risk, but Kiku had dealt with cowards like this before. They almost always make a beeline for the nearest exit, which in this case was the gate.

Hoping his plan would work, Kiku switched directions and yanked open one of the doors to the building that would serve as his shortcut. Nihilum continued running, and a moment later, he glanced back, to see that Kiku was no longer tailing him. A few moments later, the demon could see the ironwork gate approaching, as a faint smirk grew on his lips. Another backward glance told him that Kiku was nowhere to been seen. Nihilum had won.

Finally! He was almost there, almost free with a living, breathing host. Just a few more yards and-

Out of the blue, someone football-tackled the demon to the ground, the demon gasping out of pure shock. The next thing the demon knew, Kiku stood over him, the tip of the katana at Tao's neck.

The look on the hunter's face was so unemotional, so callous, dispassionate, and cold-blooded, it frightened the demon to its very core. Kiku's eyes were absolutely unreadable, his lips set straight, his blade unwavering. "Go back to the gates of Hell, demon!" Without so much as a flicker of pity, Kiku cocked his blade back, then drove it forward, glistening in the moonlight as it went for Tao's throat.

* * *

"Yao! Yao, please wake up!"

Groggily, Yao opened his heavy eyelids, before sitting up woozily, his head throbbing. He looked up to see Michelle, a frantic expression over her face. What? What was she doing on campus? "M-Michelle? What are you doing here...?" he asked, still reorienting his vision and sense of balance.

"I'll explain later, but right now Mei needs your help! I have no idea what to do and she's dying! I know sometimes you hang out in the infirmary, so maybe you can help her! Please, she won't last another minute with that wound!"

Her sense of urgency snapped Yao back to reality, and with a quick shake of his head, he was back to himself again, quickly moving to kneel by Mei's side, Michelle next to him. This was bad. Michelle was right, another minute and Mei would have bled to death for sure. Carefully, Yao moved her so that she lay on her back, and then placed one hand above her forehead and one hand over her heart. "I'm a healer," he whispered to Michelle as he closed his eyes, though it seemed more like he was whispering for his own sake. "I'm going to save her."

Yao knew what the cost would be this time. He could practically feel the Mark on his collarbone pulsating as his own hands began to glow faintly with his soul energy he was summoning. This would be the last time he could help his friends. But it was well worth it, he knew that too. If Mei got to live in his place, then he would welcome death.

As Mei's wound began to close on itself, he thought about his friends, who had been so determined to make sure he lived. So softly that not even Michelle could hear, he whispered, "I'm sorry. Goodbye."

* * *

The instant the blade's edge was an inch from Tao's throat, Kiku saw it. Had it been anyone else in the entire school, it would have been impossible, but Kiku's soul skill gave him the ability to see the demon's essence flee Tao's body at that precise moment. And had it been anyone else, they might not have been able to bluff as well as Kiku had, and his blade came to a halt just before it could pierce Tao's skin.

Now Kiku set his gaze directly on the ghostly form that Nihilum was reduced to by leaving its host. Nihilum was utterly astonished to see that Kiku could, in fact, see it so clearly. "You-you blasted hunter!" it wailed, "You knew this would happen!"

"Cowards like you are so predictable," Kiku said, slashing his katana through the apparition, which dissolved into wisps that faded, and eventually disappeared from this world.

* * *

Mei coughed, then took a deep breath as she slowly opened her eyes. As she sat up tentatively, she rubbed her eyes, and looked around to see Michelle, an enormous smile on her face, before the Seychellois girl enveloped her in a warm hug. "Mei! You're alive! Thank goodness!" she squealed happily.

Meanwhile, Yao was staring at his hands with wide eyes, shocked to the point of speechlessness.

"Yao? Are you alright?" Mei asked reluctantly.

"I...I'm not dead!" he exclaimed in bewilderment. He paused, then suddenly pulled down the collar of his shirt to take a good, long look as his collarbone. "It's gone...!"

It could only mean one thing. Kiku had won.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another section of the campus grounds, Ludwig was doing everything he could to stop Feliciano's wound from bleeding. For a few, long moments, Ludwig was on the brink of panic attack, but after a little while, Feliciano's wound had improved miraculously. Granted, it was still there and still immobilized the Italian student, but most of the bleeding had subsided and Feliciano's shallow, raspy breaths were becoming more regular, and he could even talk normally again. "Lovino must have been taken to a medic," Feliciano suggested, sitting with his back against the wall.

"That means they must have saved him and killed the demon who did this to the two of you," Ludwig sighed in relief, still putting pressure on Feliciano's midsection with his hand.

"Yeah, but we haven't got you Alice's potion yet," Feliciano frowned.

"Making sure you live is more important," Ludwig waved off. "We won't be fighting demons anyway, not with you like this."

"But still, you're only-" Feliciano started, but abruptly stopped, his eyes widening in an expression Ludwig could easily recognize: fear.

"What is it?" Ludwig asked, raising an eyebrow.

Feliciano simply pointed a shaky finger past him, and Ludwig follow his gaze behind him. And his heart almost stopped.

With wings bigger than a basketball court, scales blacker than the night sky, and eyes that shone green in the dark, the dragon barred his sharp teeth, hissing and flicking its forked tongue as it took a step closer to the two. If it had not been for the street lamps' glow, they would not have even seen the demon, save for its eyes, which was probably how the dragon was able sneak onto the campus, flying silently over battle with the darkness of the night as its cover.

Ludwig stood up, and stood in front of Feliciano, his fists clenched.

"Out of the way," the dragon hissed in annoyance, "I am the demon Anguis, here for Feliciano Vargas, grandson of the Purifying Light hunter. Just hand him over to me."

"Like hell I will," Ludwig barked back obdurately, his hand finding the grip of the whip at his waist.

"Ludwig, don't! You can't fight him," Feliciano cried, fearfully, "You can't win!"

"You should listen to him, mortal," Anguis clipped its tongue, flaring its nostrils, "Looks like your soul is just mundane, no trace of demon hunter. A puny mortal like you can't hope to defeat me. You don't even have a sword!" The demon laughed sinisterly, taking another step. "Though I wouldn't mind eating your soul. It looks delicious, now that I take a closer look!"

The dragon's teeth was dripping with saliva, its eyes hungrily peering at Ludwig's soul, looking more than ravenous. It probably wouldn't take much effort for the demon to savagely tear him to pieces. How was he, not even a demon hunter, supposed to take on a full grown, scaly beast that was ten times bigger and ten times stronger?! Retreating wasn't an option, not with Feliciano in critical condition, and there was no way to distract the demon whose target was clearly his friend. There was literally no chance of survival.

"I can see you trying to calculate your odds," Anguis cackled, taking yet another step forward. It was close now, and soon it would be close enough to dive its head now and sink its teeth into his flesh. "You must know that you both are facing certain death! No, something even worse than death. Death implies moving on to some sort of afterlife, but you need a soul for that. Can you even imagine what will be your fate? Nothingness. Without a soul, your very existence is diminished to oblivion. If I had a heart, I might feel sorry for you. I don't, unfortunately for you, but I do have a stomach, and I am just so famished right now I could eat you up in one bite!"

While the demon boasted, Ludwig took one brief glanced over his shoulder. Feliciano was pressing his back against the wall, trying to get as far away from the monster as possible, so frightened by its words that he could barely breathe, much less speak. The look in his friend's eyes was all Ludwig needed to see. He turned back to the demon, uncoiling his whip as he did so.

"Look here, demon," he said in a low, but commanding voice, causing Anguis to stop cackling and listen up, surprised at his sudden nerve. "I don't care what happens to me. I may die here, but I'd rather die like this than run away and leave my friend behind! If there's anything I've learned from my time at the Academy, it's that family sticks together, and even though I'm not a demon hunter, they're all my family! And if I'm going to die here, then you can be sure as hell I won't go down without a fight!"

With his last word, a miraculous, new feeling burst inside Ludwig's chest, unlike anything he had ever experienced before. It was as if something more than adrenaline coursed through his veins, a newfound energy beginning to fill every ounce of his body, lifting his spirits and endowing him with a surge of strength. But this energy was not stagnant. It was dynamic and restless, as if trying to find some outlet that led outside of himself, until it reached his whip.

Out of nowhere, the grip of his whip burst into what seemed like white flames, radiating power and brilliant light, then traveled down the length of the whip itself engulfing the entire weapon in luminescence.

"W-what is this?!" Anguis shrieked, recoiling from the white flames in terror, "It can't be! Your soul was mundane only moments ago!"

"N-no way," Feliciano gasped in awe, "That's...like Nonno's...how...?"

Ludwig didn't know what the hell was going on, but he wasn't about to waste his opportunity. Taking a step forward, he cracked his flaming whip, his arm moving as if he had been using a whip for years, as if the weapon were meant to be held in his grasp, and the whip left a glowing lash across the dragon's face. The demon screech in agony, shaking its head furiously, but the flames across the lash did not die down. Ludwig cracked the whip again and again, leaving multiple flaming gashes throughout the demon's form.

"No, no, no!" Anguis screamed, "Why is this happening?! She said there was only one Purifying Light hunter!"

Another crack of the whip, and the demon disintegrated into a million faintly glowing embers of ash, until there was only dust left.

Ludwig stood there, breathing heavily, his whole body trembling, half expecting something else to jump out at him, but he was only met with silence. He looked down at the whip, which still retained the dancing white flames. What had happened to him?

"I...I thought you were mundane," Feliciano murmured, still gaping at his friend.

"...I thought I was too." Ludwig turned to face Feliciano, and an understanding passed between them. The Academy's chances of survival just took a favorable turn.

* * *

The battle dragged on outside the main gate. The good thing was that Romulus had returned to the main front, resuming his position as the ultimate protector of the gate, but beyond that, things weren't looking so good. Vash stood just outside the gate to the left against the wall, treating Lovino and other injured hunters the best he could. Lili and Alice were there, too, helping out bravely, even though Vash had tried to send them back inside. However, the number of their patients was steadily increasing, meaning that the number of hunters fighting was steadily decreasing.

Gilbert hated the smell of blood. And right now, the place reeked of it. Since demons didn't really bleed, it had to be the blood of his fellow hunters, and the thought alone sickened him. But it also made him angry, supplying him with the energy and resolve to continue fighting. He had been battling monsters this whole time, constantly changing weapons, and had gained quite a few minor wounds himself. He had also had some extremely close calls, too close for comfort, but he managed to avoid breaking any limbs and suffering any critical wounds thus far.

If this didn't end soon, however, he knew that even he would feel the effects of fatigue and over exertion. He couldn't fight forever, and neither could the rest of his friends. Arsian was out of arrows, forced to resort to close combat with his sharpened bow, and Karpusi was slowing down as well. The three information brokers proved to be even more valuable, lifesaving even, as they did away with more than their fair share of demons. Antonio had rejoined them, which helped ease the burden, and to his relief, Arthur had reported through the harmony link that the east side was all taken care of, and that they were on their way to help out at the main front.

By this point, however, there was only one question on Gilbert's mind as he took down another round of demons. Where the hell was Illedris?! Didn't she orchestrate this whole invasion? If she was their leader, then why wasn't she taking part in the battle? Was she, perhaps, only the mastermind, and was content with letting her subordinates carry out her plans?

No, Gilbert knew that wasn't it. Illedris was much too sadistic. Her bloodlust was too prominent. She would never sit back and watch; she want a piece of the action. No, she'd want more of a piece, she'd want to be the star of the finale, to be the one to march right into the school and declare it hers. She had to be here, somewhere, waiting for the perfect moment to stage her entrance. She would come out as soon as it was certain the Academy was about to fall.

And that's when he felt it.

A familiar stinging sensation burning on his back, over his shoulder blade. The Ouroboros Mark.

His master was calling.

* * *

From the Author: This chapter was so much fun to write~

Tao is Hong Kong, Mei is Taiwan, Kim is Vietnam, Adnan is Turkey, Yong Soo is Korea, Michelle is Seychelles, Karpusi is Greece, Anguis means dragon or serpent

Sorry for the long wait again! I thought once May was over, I'd be home free, but I ran into some unexpected plans and such. I can't wait for the school year to end! (also I apologize for lack of response to feedback. I just got so overwhelmed with my schedule).

Anyways, thanks a million for understanding, and I hope this chapter was worth the wait! There were a couple plot twists, and I hope that I surprised most of you with this chapter! I'd love to hear any feedback and reactions :D So please review~

So thanks for reading, faving, reviewing, and following! You guys seriously push me to be a better writer, and I can't thank you enough for that! Thanks and until next chapter!


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

Note: This is probably the longest chapter so far. Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

The Ouroboros Mark on his back burned a bit hotter, indicating a more exigent command. His master was calling, and he was not to be late.

Gilbert straightened up, in such a strange, peculiar way, that even Roderich noticed him pause fighting from a few yards away. The look on Gilbert's face was so...eerie, that Roderich went through the trouble to send him a telepathic message to him, and only him, through the harmony link, _"Gilbert? What's wrong?"_

"_It's time for me to face her,"_ Gilbert replied, his voice popping into Roderich's mind easily through their private link. He didn't need to clarify who he meant by that. _"I have a rendezvous with destiny, remember?"_

_"I'll go with you,"_ Roderich thought back, beginning to make his way through the skirmish to meet the albino hunter, but he saw Gilbert shake his head in his direction.

_"No, I have to do this alone. I don't want you to see..."_ He trailed off, before adding, _"I'm terminating my link. Thanks for everything, Roddy."_ With that, before Roderich could take another step, Gilbert winked at him, spun on his heels, and dashed away, disappearing into the dark cover of the forest. Roderich tried once more to send another message telepathically, but the link was gone, leaving him with no other way to communicate with the albino and a terrible feeling in his gut.

* * *

Gilbert slowed his pace to a jog when he was sure Roderich couldn't have followed him. Now there really was no reason to rush. In fact, the slower he went, the longer he lived. He knew that all too well. But there was no avoiding his fate, not anymore.

It was a strange, confusing feeling, to be completely honest, knowing that he was heading towards his death, yet also knowing it was the only path he could take. And he would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't a little scared. Death was, indeed, a frightening prospect, after all. What would it be like? How much torture would he have to endure before it was all over? He had no idea.

What was worse, Gilbert didn't even have the comfort of knowing he was going to a better place. Because he wasn't. By selling his soul to a demon all those years ago, he had forfeited his passage to the true afterlife, eternal rest. Instead, he had a one way ticket to Hell.

Suppressing an involuntary shudder, Gilbert forced himself not to think about that. He could not afford to let his fear of the Underworld allow cowardice to prevail within him. Facing his master was something he had to do, regardless of the consequences he would have to bear. But the one substantial thought that was almost strong enough to make him change his mind was leaving his little brother behind. Once he was dead, what would happen to Ludwig? What if Illedris and her demon army won? Gilbert would be long gone, and Ludwig would fall prey to his master once and for all. With a gulp, he remembered the illusion Metus had showed him in the Highlands, when he thought he saw Ludwig's corpse, his blood dripping from the she demon's fingers.

The image, forever burned into his memory, made him wince. It was definitely one of his worst experiences, and he had been through a lot. The vision alone was horrifying enough, and to think that it could become reality...

No, he couldn't think like that. The Academy's demon hunters would win without him, and Ludwig was safe and sound in a city far away from here. Once the invasion was defeated, Ludwig could come back to an amazing demon hunter family that would take him in as one of their own. Gilbert was leaving him in good hands, and that's all he needed to know.

He would miss the blonde, though. There was no way in hell he would ever forget about his little brother after being his protector for so long. But now that everything had changed, it wasn't just about protecting him anymore. It was about being a brother Ludwig could be proud of, and standing for his friends against his master was the only thing Gilbert could do now to redeem himself. Suddenly, Gilbert thought about his father, who had been killed by a demon as well, the same one who gave Gilbert that terrible illusion. With a new feeling of melancholy, he wished he could have the chance to speak with him, now more than ever, but as he told Roderich, this was something he had to do alone.

"Well, Dad, I'm finally setting things right," he smiled to himself sadly. Reminded of Metus, Gilbert thought back to the moment when he realized that it was all an illusion, the moment when he shouted that he'd never be the one to break the deal. _And here I am, so I guess I was wrong then_, he thought to himself, still retaining that faint, poignant smile.

His thoughts began to stray to his friends, the ones he had trained with and fought with, and his lips began to tremble. Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts from his mind, knowing it would be too painful. Good thing he was almost there, so he wouldn't be left alone to his thoughts for much longer. Gilbert wasn't exactly sure how he knew where to go, but he did. In fact, his feet seemed to move of their own accord, taking a familiar path through the dark forest, one he used to take almost every day.

And lastly, he couldn't help but think of Elizaveta. Of the time when she first kissed him the day before his secret got out, the electrifying feeling she gave him that day, like his soul would float right out of his body, or like his racing heart would beat right out of his chest. He clearly remembered her beautiful laugh and could perfectly imagine her figure right before him, giving him that incredible smile that always made him feel a little bit lighter on the inside. Memories of their training sessions kept flashing in his head, until he recalled their fight with Orexis, when she singlehandedly took out that serpent's eye and save his life, like a warrior princess. Everything about her was simply amazing.

His whole heart ached, knowing that he would never see her again. That he would have to let her go in order to embrace his destiny. That he couldn't even say goodbye.

Suddenly, Gilbert came to a halt. This was it. He was here, the place where he would finally meet his ultimate fate. Just a few more steps, and he would be in the clearing, the same clearing he and Elizaveta would go to after class got out to train.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he cleared his mind, and then entered the clearing.

She sat upon a tall black throne in the very center of the clearing. It was made of the same wispy smoke her own form was comprised of, only her skin looked even more pale in the moonlight, her sharpened teeth seeming to cast off an uncanny glow contrasted against her blood red lips. Her black hair continued to billow about around her, moving as if underwater, defying gravity. Her eyes of black and white were smug, and grew even more so when she saw Gilbert come forth.

"You're late, Gilbert," she purred, as if a little annoyed, "You always know how to keep a demon waiting."

Honestly, Gilbert hadn't even bothered planning how this was going to happen. So he decided to play it by ear. "You summoned me?"

"Yes, I did," Illedris nodded, leaning forward in her seat, "It's time for you to drop your cover. You've done an excellent job, my servant. But you could have toned it down for the invasion. You were taking out too many of my soldiers."

"You didn't tell me about an invasion," Gilbert pointed out, recalling all he went through in order to uncover her scheme.

"I didn't want any chance of the Academy finding out. If somehow your cover was blown, I didn't want them to be able to torture my plans out of you. But I suppose those cautionary measures were unnecessary. You proved to be a competent servant. I must say I am impressed," she mused with a smirk.

Gilbert said nothing, and only stared back, thinking about how ironic her words were.

"Anyways," she continued, disregarding his silence, "Like I said, there's no need to keep your cover anymore. By sunrise the Academy will have fallen, and it will be the dawn of a new era! An era where those pesky demon hunters will no longer stand in our way, where we can feast freely without hiding! An era in which I will be at the top, a supreme demon queen! And so, Gilbert, I have a new order for you."

Illedris leered, so wrapped up in her own ecstasy of triumph and glory, as if she could already taste power an victory on the tip of her tongue. He could see it flash in her black irises, the power-hungry god complex, the unquenchable desire for dominance and superiority, and he knew she would do whatever it took to come out on top. "It seems that my other accomplices have failed to kill the Purifying Light hunter. So I'm giving the task to you. Do this, and I will let you serve me as one of the highest ranks in the new age of demons. Return to the battlefield and pretend to fight by the headmaster's side, and when his back is turned, finish the job. Once he is dead, I'll enter the fray, and lead the army into the school."

She laughed at her own ingenious, unaware that Gilbert's fists were shaking at his sides, thinking she had finally done it, that victory was already in the palm of her hand. But she had severely miscalculated. She had miscalculated how the Academy had reshaped Gilbert, how much it had taught him what was truly important, and how much he would come to care dearly for his new family. Illedris's single, most grave mistake was underestimating the true strength of the bonds between souls.

Gilbert took a deep breath.

"You want me to betray their trust once more, and become the very definition of a backstabber?" Gilbert's voice was steady, his jaw clenched.

Illedris stopped laughing, and blinked in astonishment, before narrowing her eyes at him, a flash of anger glinting in her nightmarish black pupils. "What's this? Do you have feelings for those hunters? I forbade you from forming attachments with them. Do not let your silly emotions mix up your priorities and make you insubordinate, Gilbert. We made a deal, and I have always upheld my end, so you have no choice but to follow my command. Now then, let's try that again. Go out there and eliminate the Purifying Light hunter."

Gilbert's reply was unfaltering. "No. I'm done taking orders from you I'm not going to hurt anymore innocent people on your behalf. The Academy has become my home and these people are my family now, and I owe them everything." His voice began to rise, defiance burning behind his ruby red eyes that caught the moonlight above the clearing. This would be his final scene here in this world, he knew, but he knew in his heart this was right. It was as if he was casting off the shackles of shame, guilt, and betrayal from his soul, and for the first time in seven years he could glimpse the true meaning of the word freedom. For the first time, he was in control of his own destiny. And it felt awesome.

"I should have never betrayed them in the first place," Gilbert continued, this time looking the she demon in the eyes with resilient confidence, "I don't deserve their forgiveness or their kindness. But they've taught me what it really means to be human, to have friends and unbreakable bonds. And that's why...that's why I have the strength to do this right now, to stand against you and redeem myself, even if it costs me my own life!"

Illedris stood up from her black throne, her entire being seeming to grow a little bigger, as if she was literally swelling with the boiling rage that was evident in her expression. "You insolent, worthless fool! Have you forgotten the consequences of breaking our soul deal?! You would give up your life for these mortals, who are already doomed?! You would throw away seven years of protecting your dear brother?! You are a traitor to both sides, Gilbert, to demon as well as mankind, and you must know that in the very depths of your soul. You will never be accepted in this world, which is why I will make sure you will experience an eternity of suffering and torment in the Underworld for your disloyalty! And while you scream in agony down in Hell, I want you to know that I will find your brother, wherever he is on this damned planet, and I want you to know that he will face the most painful excruciation imaginable because of you. He'll be begging me to take his life by the time I'm done with him, and then I will feast on his soul, and it will all be your fault!"

"You'll never lay a finger on my brother!" Gilbert shouted back truculently. "Because I know the Academy's hunters will defeat you! They're strong, so much stronger, than you think they are! Your invasion will never succeed because you picked the wrong family to mess with. I will die here, but my only regret is knowing that I won't be there to watch you fail!"

"Don't be so naive, boy," Illedris snarled irately, "The Academy will fall tonight! I'll enter the battle myself, and my army will rally behind me. I'll kill the headmaster myself, once I find his grandsons using information you gave me! Once I eat the soul with the angel's light, I'll be unstoppable! This entire region will bow before me, demons and mortals alike! And I will do everything in my power to make your friends suffer, and your brother will wish he had never been born!" She paused, straightening up, recomposing herself with a simper. "But I'll do that after I deal with you."

With a snap of her fingers, a searing, scorching pain ignited from the Ouroboros Mark.

The afflictions he had felt during Metus's illusion and under Ivan's soul skill in the Gym were incomparable to this.

Like fire, the torture ripped through Gilbert's soul, while simultaneously convulsing his physical body. Almost instantaneously, he collapsed to his hands and knees, as splitting twinge making his head throb violently, so much so that he began seeing red in a matter of moments, as every muscle he had burned like they were broiling. His heart wrenched and tightened unbearably within his rib cage, feeling as if someone were reaching inside of him, crushing it until it would burst. Even his very bones ached, his stomach churned sickeningly, and soon his arms gave out as he coughed blood onto the grass before him, staining the ground with crimson. Instead of blood flowing through his veins, it felt like acid, scalding through every part of himself relentlessly. Every inch of his body experienced an intensifying agony, that only grew more and more torturous with each waking second. It was as if Illedris had a remote that controlled the amount of excruciation he felt, and she was steadily increasing it, like one would increase the volume on a television set.

When Gilbert let out a piercing cry, his whole being quaking and writhing before the demon, Illedris gave a sadistic laugh of amusement. "If only you could see yourself now," she cackled, a crazed expression twisted with cruel exultation on her face, "Your very soul is burning away, and when it's gone from this world, you'll be on a one-way trip to the fires of Hell! You could have been my trusted servant, but you threw it all away for a cause that was destined to fall! I never told you what I was planning on doing to the hunters at the Academy. Of course, the obvious answer would be to eat all their souls, but after what happened seven years ago, I have a better idea. Demons can enslave some hunters through soul deals like yours. You've proven how easy it is to get a hunter to sell their soul for a loved one. I'll have to make sure their wills are broken though. I should have broken yours a long time ago!"

Even through his agony, Gilbert could hear her jests, she made sure of it. But as soon as she stopped speaking, a new pang of pain surged forth from the Mark, its detrimental presence blazing through his soul, causing him to scream involuntarily. As his soul burned endlessly and mercilessly, emotions, memories and thoughts were jostled within, as if his very core was being torn apart from the seams. His hope, rage, joy, shame, and anguish were beginning to blur together, like there was no distinction between any of them. It was like a whirlwind of soul fragments deep inside of him was being sucked down into a black hole from which there was no escape.

Illedris's laugh rang in his ears.

He was going to lose himself any moment now, and for an instant, Gilbert wanted it to happen. He wanted this torture to end already. He couldn't take it anymore. Perhaps it was time to let go. Submit.

Then, just when he was about to cave in, a single memory resurfaced, somehow catching his attention without being ripped away from his consciousness. Gilbert saw himself in the Class B classroom, with Roderich. "_You think I'm giving up on life, don't you? Well, don't you worry, Roddy, because if I'm going to die, I'm going to die as me. And the awesome Gilbert Beilschimdt always goes out with a bang!" _That's what Gilbert had said to him, right? He promised Roderich he wouldn't give up. Maybe Gilbert couldn't survive, and there was no hope for him, but dying through submission wasn't how Gilbert wanted to go out.

Suddenly, more memories fought against the wrathful torment, demanding Gilbert's concentration, struggling against the anguish that threatened to drown out his will. They were brief images flashing before his eyes, but they were everything all the same. He saw Francis, Kim, and Ivan, all of whom were part of the demon hunter family that accepted him and forgave him after his betrayal. He saw Natalya and Yong Soo, both of them embracing him after he had saved them from Metus. He saw Kiku, when he agreed to help Gilbert find out more about the invasion after tracking him down. He saw Arthur, telling him not to give up no matter what before the battle, and Alfred, when Gilbert helped him summon his scythe for the first time. He saw Yao, when the two had sat under the night sky on the porch by themselves, showing him his Mark, bravely acknowledging death if it meant a friend could live. He saw Antonio reading his soul after his secret got out, his friend who had faith in him even after his betrayal. Then he saw Roderich, standing up for him in front of all the demon hunters who rightly scorned him, saying, "_I believe in him, as a demon hunter, and a friend_."

There was Ludwig, his brother dearest, the reason he had gone through this living hell, but he was still alive, safe and sound, so these past seven years weren't a waste. Even this torture was well worth it. And then there was Elizaveta, simply smiling back at him. And that was more than enough.

Though his soul was still on the brink of being shattered to a million pieces, and though his physical body still wrought with tribulation, Gilbert's thoughts began to grow clearer. His friends, all of them, were so strong and brave and determined. If they could live through their sufferings and come out smiling, then the least he could do was remain himself until the very end.

Using every last ounce of his willpower, he forced himself to push the pain to the back of his mind, and wrestled his concentration from the torrent of chaos emanating from the Ouroboros Mark. His vision was still tainted red, but he could focus on the things in front of him again, and he fought for as much muscle control as he could muster.

Trembling violently, Gilbert managed to push himself up until his was on his hands and knees, rather than lying on the ground. While he still had a little bit of strength left, he lifted his head, his red eyes finding Illedris. Her laughter faded. Then, what she least expected, Gilbert grinned, chuckling softly.

"Why are you laughing?!" She demanded, a new wave of frustration present in her eyes and evident in her shocked tone. "How can you smile?!"

"I thought that because of our deal, I'd never live a life worth living for, much less worth dying for. But I was wrong," he murmured just loud enough for her to hear, "Meeting my new family...they made it all worth it. And because of them, I'll never stop fighting you. I'm sure we'll see each other again in the Underworld, and even then, I won't give up, not for an eternity."

"You don't know what you're talking about, you fool!" Illedris shrieked, her eyes wild with fury. "Right now, I'm giving you the retribution and punishment you deserve! Your crime, for _eternity_, is your indisputable disloyalty! And for that, you shall suffer, forever!" In her overwhelming anger, she held out one hand, a ball of condensed smoke hovering above her palm. The smoke darkened and took the shape of a large, black arrow. She grasped it, a look so enraged distorting her face, and hurled it down toward Gilbert.

The arrow whistled as it pierced the air, as if Death followed its wake. Gilbert flinched, and looked away, closing his eyes involuntarily.

But the arrow never came. Instead, Gilbert hear a distinct clang, as if the arrow had been deflected. Astonished, Gilbert looked up, his jaw dropping, to see someone standing before him, sword at hand, glaring at the she demon.

"You dare get in the way of my wrath, you impudent scum!" Illedris snarled, barring her razor sharp fangs at the hunter.

"You're wrong about Gilbert," Roderich called back crossly, pointing his sword at the demon. "He knows more about loyalty than a demon like you ever could!"

"_Roderich_?!" Gilbert gaped, "What are you doing here?"

"In the Venator Academy," Roderich replied without turning around, "We never abandon one of our own."

"Is that so?" Illedris seethed, "Then you can die along with him!"

Gilbert had never seen Illedris look like this before, angry and enraged enough to be the first to attack, rather than wait to make a calculated move. This was bad. Of all the demons Gilbert had ever faced, seen, or heard of, she was the one he feared most all these years. And not only because she had the power to take away the most important thing to him, his brother. Illedris was cunning, and she was decisive. If she wanted something, she would not let anything or anyone get in her way. She would kill all those who stood against her, and kill ruthlessly. And now, he could see that bloodlust in her black eyes as she scowled at Roderich.

Gilbert had never even once thought of fighting Illedris, mainly because he couldn't anyway due to the soul deal, but partly because he wasn't sure if he had any chance of winning, even without the deal holding him back. There was a reason she strived to be the demon queen, and a reason all these demons in her army followed her. She was the one demon he actually feared facing, and perhaps for a while before he came to the Academy he was a little relieved she was the one demon he could never face in combat. Now was different of course, because Gilbert had found a reason to lay down his life to defy her, and he was willing to do it. He would die for his friends.

But he wasn't willing to let any of his friends die for him.

"Roderich, get out of here!" Gilbert shouted through his torment, his fists clenching the grass under him to help him get a grip on his focus. "Just forget about me and go help the others!"

The Austrian didn't even turn to look at him. "Don't be selfish, Gil! You're not the only one who gets to stand up for the ones they care about!"

Gilbert was shocked into silence.

Illedris narrowed her eyes sinisterly, "Mortals are so foolish. No wonder they live such short lives. Gilbert, my boy, I want you to watch carefully, and know that this one's death, just like all the others, is on your head."

Her voice was low, but foreboding. With that, her form dissolved into smoke, dispersing into the darkness that filled the clearing.

Roderich tensed, his eyes darting around the clearing, his senses as acute as possible, waiting for the demon to show itself and attack. He gripped his sword tightly, anticipating Illedris coming from behind.

Gilbert cursed. Now that Illedris's attention was no longer focused on him, the agony became less intense, but it was still there, the pain still ensnared his body, withering his soul from the Mark. He barely had any control over his slight movements, and could only watch from his position down on one knee, virtually immobilized. There was no way he could help Roderich now. He was so useless! Damnit! In all his years of service to her, Gilbert had never once seen Illedris unleash her true demon power against an opponent. He couldn't even give Roderich any helpful information. Useless.

In the last possible second, Roderich saw the smoke rising from the grass under his feet, and jumped out of the way just before the smoke could shoot up and harden into sharp, black tendrils. As soon as Roderich was clearly out of reach, the tendrils turned back to smoke instantly before morphing back into Illedris's form, scowling at him, and without a moment's hesitation, she lunged at him with solid, pointed fingers barred, probably capable of piercing straight through flesh by the looks of it. Her whole arms had solidified, in fact, and Gilbert realized that was how she fought. She could control the density of her demonic cloud around her, choosing whether it should be gaseous or rock hard, along with her ability to disappear into the shadows to conceal herself.

Roderich barely had time to check her jab with the edge of his sword, but its blade just clanged off, her arm unscathed. But she didn't stop there; the she demon pressed forward, propelling herself through the air with ferocity, leaving a wispy trail in her wake. Relentlessly, she threw strike after strike, aiming for critical areas past Roderich's guard. He anticipated them, if only just, and was able to block most of her strikes and avoid getting fatally injured, though her fingers, which were essentially claws, penetrated his guard once and left a nasty gash across his chest. It wasn't too deep, but blood began to seep into his clothes. Another strike tore his left sleeve, and even cut his skin, and another almost caught his neck, if he hadn't leaned back a few inches.

Then, suddenly, she faded into a puff of smoke again, invisible to her opponent. Roderich looked around quickly, always turning directions to make it less likely that she could reappear with his back facing her. His muscles were tense with apprehension, his jaw clenched. A moment later, she reformed above him, cocking her arm back to drive into his skull while he was least expecting it. But he was sharper than that. He jerked his head up to see her once he sensed her coming, then swung his sword upward in an attempt to catch her while her momentum pushed her towards him.

No such luck. Illedris saw the blade in the moonlight, then dissolved into a gaseous state before the weapon could touch her. Once again, Roderich had no idea where she would attack him from. But he didn't have to wait long. The next instant she reappeared to his left, surging at him with one hand outstretched, ready to rip his throat out. She moved so fast, that even as he sidestepped instinctively, her hand grazed his neck, barely tearing his skin. Then she disappeared again, and rematerialized from behind him. This time he didn't have enough reaction time when he realized where she was. He tried to evade her barbed hands, but not fast enough. He was able to move enough so that she missed his heart, but her demonic claws sank into his shoulder, drawing blood immediately upon contact.

Roderich cried out, and Illedris vanished once more, but the damage was done, and now Roderich's wound would burden his motions and slow down his maneuvers. But she wasn't going to give him any time to recover or even catch his breath. Not even a second later she was in front of him, her arm shooting out for his face. He blocked it, but as soon as her claws were deflected she turned to smoke and reformed on his injured side, smashing her fist into his jaw. He was knocked off balance, and staggered back, and suddenly Illedris was on his right, lunging for his throat again. Luckily, Roderich was able to check her strike, but by now, Illedris had the upper hand, and she knew it. Laughing with a twisted expression on her face, she disappeared and reappeared faster and faster, until it seemed like she was in multiple places at once, surrounding her prey, breaking into his guard more frequently.

Body quaking and trembling, Gilbert wrestled for more control over his muscles, but to no avail. Excruciation still emanated from the Ouroboros Mark, and he could feel his soul, his essence, breaking down and degrading, still burning away into hellish fires. He wanted to scream and cry and shout all at once, but couldn't even speak as he watched the match in anxiety. It was as if he could already see the outcome.

Enduring the pain from his bloody shoulder, Roderich did his best to defend himself, pushing his senses and his own body to his limits, and even past his limits. But it still wasn't enough. For every blow he blocked, she landed two more. Another strike across his jaw, and two more to his midsection. She was able to rematerialize from below and connect her dense fist with the bottom of his chin, sending him wobbling back.

"Mortals are such fools!" she cackled, hitting him directly on his wounded shoulder, knowing it was his weakest and most vulnerable point, "You cannot hope to defeat me! You hunters think that your souls make you powerful enough to challenge a demon like me, but it is your soul that makes you weak! At night, while your human senses grow dim, I can still see your soul! There is no escape, no hiding or surprise attack on a demon! And that is exactly why you will all perish!"

And she was right. Perhaps if it had been daytime, Roderich would have been able to sense her attacks sooner, but at night, Illedris had more than an advantage. She was unstoppable.

In vain, Roderich tried to counterattack, anticipating her next reappearance with sweat dripping down his face. While he was right most of the time, as soon as he slashed his sword at her, she would dissolve into smoke and re-emerge elsewhere. She was inflicting wounds repeatedly now, leaving gashes across his arms and legs, and again pierced his side with her claws, delighted by the sight of crimson that soaked into his shirt. The entire time, Roderich never gave up, never gave one sign of submission in his eyes.

The next time Illedris reformed, she knocked the hilt of his sword right out of his hand, and it skittered away out of reach. An instant later, Illedris was behind him, leering with an impish, disturbing smirk, her eyes wild and malicious. Before Roderich could even turn around, she drove her hand into his chest.

In his devastation, Gilbert's voice finally found him, but it was too late. "_RODERICH!"_

That color. It was all Gilbert could see, splattered over Roderich's torso and on the ground around him, dripping from Illedris's extended arm as she laughed. Roderich coughed more of that color, and it trickled down the corners of his lips as his eyes grew wide. Gilbert watched in absolute horror. No...no...This couldn't be happening! It couldn't be real! It had to be another illusion or something! Please, it can't be real!

But it was real. Illedris retracted her hand, withdrawing it from his body, which crumpled to the floor lifelessly. His eyes were closed.

And in Illedris's outstretched hand was a glowing sphere of energy, almost sun-like, except it was pure white, its radiance hovering an inch above her palm. It took Gilbert a moment to realize what it was.

It was his soul she held in her hand. Roderich's soul. Ripped right out of his body, its anchor torn, permanently.

"My, my, what a delicious little treat I have here," Illedris sneered, smacking her lips ravenously.

"No, you can't!" Gilbert cried desperately, still paralyzed. The horrific sight was enough to jar Gilbert so much that the pain from the Mark was irrelevant, unnoticeable.

"I don't think you're in any position to say what I can and cannot do," the she demon snickered evilly, "I told you, his death is your fault."

"Please, don't eat it!" he pleaded, tears springing into his eyes. She was right; he had gotten Roderich killed! But Roderich still needed his soul. It was the last thing he had, his passage to the afterlife. "Do whatever you want to me, to my soul, but don't eat his soul!"

"I must say," Illedris smirked, bringing the soul closer to her mouth, "I've never seen you like this, Gilbert. It suites you. Too bad you learned your place too late. His soul will be the first of tonight's feast!"

* * *

Lovino leaned against the boundary wall, next to a couple of other injured hunters, as Dr. Zwingli did his best to fix them up, with Lili as his assistant. He was so angry when he first saw his little sister, but she stubbornly refused to leave the invasion front, leaving him with no other choice but to let her help treat the wounded. Lovino's own wound was doing considerably better thanks to one of his ointments, which was miraculous because he had been sure he was on the verge of death only moments ago. He felt so relieved now, not only because he was still alive, but also because it meant that Feliciano was still alive as well, wherever he was. As soon as Romulus and Antonio had dropped him off in Dr. Zwingli's care, they rejoined the others in battle.

The only problem was, the injured were technically still on the invasion front, still outside the main gate and in harm's way since it was too risky to open the ironwork gate while the demons were drawing so close. Lovino still clenched a small knife in one hand, although he knew that if any demon got that close already, he'd be dead for sure. Right now, all he could do was watch the battle rage on, and every so often there would be a bright flash of light, indicating that his grandpa was doing his Purifying Light thing, and once in a while Lovino caught sight of Antonio again, in the midst of foes.

Suddenly, he saw Kiku again. He and Yao had disappeared for a while somewhere, but now Kiku was back, and Lovino gave another small sigh of relief. With his katana, Kiku would definitely add more finesse to the front for the hunters, which is exactly what they needed right now. A moment later, Yao appeared at Dr. Zwingli's side, a halfsmile on his face. The Chinese student whispered something into Dr. Zwingli's ear, then pulled down the collar of his shirt to briefly expose the base of his neck. Lovino wasn't sure why, since there was nothing of interest anywhere on Yao's neck, but Dr. Zwingli looked surprised, then nodded. Then Yao went to work. Quickly, he began using his healing skill to repair the injured hunters' bodies, returning them to optimal health. It was amazing, to be honest. One minute a hunter was groaning in pain on the ground, and the next, he or she was up and ready for some action.

Finally, it was Lovino's turn. Yao knelt beside him and was about to put one hand above his forehead and one above his heart, when suddenly, Lovino's eyes widened, looking past Yao. "Behind you!" he shouted, but it was too late.

The giant, demonic serpent was already lunging its head at them, its venomous fangs barred.

Out of nowhere, a blast of green energy detonated in the side of the snake's jaw, forcing it to lurch sideways, the side of its face smoldering. But the serpent just grew angrier, hissing its forked tongue irately. Then, right on cue, Alfred charged the snake, brandishing the most remarkable weapon Lovino had ever seen a hunter hold. Before the snake even had a chance to attack, Alfred launched himself in the air, cocking his scythe back, then sliced the serpent's head off with one clean slash of his blade.

As he landed back down on one knee, the demonic snake melted away. Alfred stood up, grinning at Yao and Lovino as Arthur caught up with him. "Are you guys all right?" Arthur asked, two more energy balls already in his hands.

"Thanks to you two," Yao nodded graciously, before beginning to heal Lovino.

"Yao! The curse!" Alfred cried frantically, trying to stop Yao from using his skill, but Yao just smiled at him.

"Nihilum has been defeated. I'm free," he told them, and in response, Alfred whooped excitedly.

"About time," Arthur halfsmiled, "We need your skill now more than ever."

Lovino didn't know what the hell they were talking about, but right now, he didn't care. He was still thunderstruck, staring at the weapon in Alfred's grasp, his mouth open. "You...you're a reaper?!" he exclaimed in shock.

"Huh? Oh yeah," Alfred chuckled, forgetting that many of his fellow students didn't know about his true heritage. "I'm actually half-reaper, half-human. It's a long story."

"That's just like the scythe the reaper used to split my soul," Lovino blinked, not quite over the initial astonishment.

"Oh yeah," Alfred said again, scratching his head, "I forgot that scythes can split souls, too."

...Then it clicked.

Words spoken days resurfaced into Alfred mind as it dawned on him. _"The only way to save him is to find some way to separate the deal from the rest of his soul,"_ Roderich had said, after Antonio had told them the truth.

"HOLY SHIT, DUDE!" Alfred shouted, barely able to contain his exhilaration at the realization. Apparently, no one else had come to this conclusion, because they all jumped, startled by his sudden outburst. They all stared at him in confusion. "Occultus was right!" he exclaimed, "I know how to save Gilbert! I just have to find him!" With that, he turned on his heels and ran into the skirmish of the invasion, searching for his friend's white hair amongst the melee.

_"Gilbert? Gilbert! Are you there?" _Alfred telepathically asked frenetically through the harmony link. For some reason, there was no reply, and his message wasn't getting through. Had Gilbert terminate his link? Did something bad happen to him? "_Does anyone know where Gilbert is?"_ he asked indiscriminately through the link this time, _"Please, if you know where he is, answer me! I can save him!"_

This time, there was a reply, but it was faint, so faint that Alfred couldn't even make out whose voice it was that was answering him. But it gave him the directions he needed to pinpoint Gilbert's location as soon as possible. Before the voice faded, it said, "_Please hurry, Gilbert faces his death. Good luck_."

* * *

"_NO!_" Gilbert cried, struggling to simply move his hand, as Illedris licked her lips and opened her mouth, hungrily eying the soul in her hand as if it were an apple.

Then a miracle happened. There was a small flash as a metallic blade glistened in the moonlight as it swung through the night air, just behind Illedris. Illedris saw the sword out of the corner of her eye, and jerked sideways to avoid being stabbed through her chest. The first sword missed her smoky body by inches, but the second sword followed up swiftly, and before Illedris knew what was going on, the second sword had sliced her hand clean off, the hand holding the soul.

Illedris shrieked, more out of frustration and astonishment rather than pain, though now she only had one hand. Her other hand disintegrated into dust, and Roderich's soul hovered a few inches above the grassy ground of the clearing. Growling furiously, Illedris turned towards the hunter who had snuck up on her.

Gilbert was stunned into speechlessness.

She stood a few feet from the she demon, wielding two swords. She must have picked up Roderich's sword. In her eyes Gilbert could almost see the fiery rage, with not even the slightest hint of fear. Her lips were set straight, and though her clothes had quite a few rips and tears riddled throughout, she seemed for the most part unharmed. She looked like a true warrior, more so than he could have ever imagined.

"I'll kill you for what you've done," the hunter said loudly to the demon, unfaltering.

"I don't know who you are, but you've make a grave mistake, stupid girl," Illedris snarled back.

"I am Elizaveta Héderváry, the one who will send you back to the fires of the Underworld, and even that's too good for you," she seethed, tightening her grip on both swords. "You kill Roderich. You attacked my home and my family. You're the reason Gilbert's suffered for so long. There's no way I'm letting you get away with all that. I swear I'll destroy you if it's the last thing I do!"

"Just try it," the she demon spat. "I'll rip your soul right out just as easily as I took his!" She gestured to Roderich's lifeless body, stained with blood.

And Gilbert was still caught up in his own surprise. Elizaveta had snuck up on a demon! That should have been impossible, especially on Illedris, since she could sense souls around her. Then it hit him. Elizaveta was using her soul skill, suppressing her soul so that it could not be seen by demons, like a stealth mode, virtually invisible with the night cover. And here she was, taking on the most fearsome demon he had ever come across.

Illedris dissolved into smoke, but immediately re-emerged behind Elizaveta, surging forth with her clawed hand. But Elizaveta was ready for it. She blocked with one sword and swiped at the demon with the other as she whirled around. Illedris disappeared before the second sword could make contact. Then, she began her assault just like she had attack Roderich, vanishing and reforming instantly, with no lax time between strikes. The demon teleported so fast, it was like facing multiple opponents from all directions at once.

But this time, it was different. Gilbert had been initially frightened that he would lose not one, but two of his dear friends to Illedris, but Elizaveta had him star struck. Firstly, Elizaveta had already taken off one of Illedris's hands, cutting her offense opportunities down by half. Secondly, Elizaveta brandished two swords, and now could afford to counterattack as she defended herself. Just as Gilbert had taught her, she relied solely on her instincts since Illedris's attacks did not leave any room for error nor calculated thoughts. Elizaveta was agile, light on her feet, and supple as she evaded, blocked, and slashed.

"Where is your soul?" Illedris growled, perturbed, "You must be mortal! I'll just have to kill you to find it!" That's when Gilbert understood that Elizaveta's soul skill was hindering Illedris's strategy. Since she normally faced mortals with souls that she could effortlessly sense, it was easy for her to know where to strike, but with Elizaveta, she had to rely on her other senses in the darkness, senses that she normally didn't need.

The she demon rematerialized behind Elizaveta once more, about to plunge her claws into her back, but Elizaveta had just enough time to move her sword over her shoulder and against her back without turning around, effectively checking Illedris's jab. She seemed to realized that her soul skill could be even more advantageous, and rolled to a different spot as Illedris disappeared. Then Elizaveta kept moving about the clearing in a random, unpredictable fashion, both swords ready to defend and fight. This way, Illedris could not detect her location with her soul skill activated, and in the split second she was teleporting, she could only guess where Elizaveta was positioned. Illedris's guesses were usually correct, but the key was to keep moving, never stay still, and wait for the enemy's mistake.

Illedris appeared on her left, swiping her clawed hand for her throat. Elizaveta ducked, and as the demon turned to smoke, she made a guess to her next relocation and decided to take a risk and go on the offensive herself. So instead of straightening up like expected, she stayed crouched down for another second, hoping Illedris would reform behind her. Luck was on her side, for the moment, and as Illedris re-emerged in that spot, Elizaveta thrust one sword in that direction. The demon wasn't so easily beat, however, and Illedris evaded the blade's edge, but Elizaveta didn't stop. She followed with a roundhouse kick, summoning all the strength she could muster into her leg muscles. Lo and behold, her foot actually connected with Illedris's cheek bone, sending the demon reeling sideways, as she vanished again. Even though the blow didn't do much damage to the demon, Elizaveta needed the confidence it endowed her with. She also realized that now she had to be offensive, even if it meant weakening her guard, because if she didn't slay Illedris, she would never win. The outcome of this duel would depend on who could deliver the final blow first.

Illedris seemed to come to the same conclusion as well, her teleportation picking up speed and her moves intensifying. Sweat beaded her forehead as Elizaveta also began pushing her physical and mental state harder and harder to keep up. She tried to at least make contact with the she demon again, but Illedris was moving around too fast. And now that her defenses had been lowered in compensation for more offense, Illedris was able to penetrate her guard more often, inflicting cuts and gashes along her arm and her torso. Elizaveta was able to avoid any critical wounds, and remained in motion, never stationary.

It was difficult, coordinating two weapons at once and fighting from all four sides around herself, and even having to be aware of an assault from above and below. If Elizaveta made one error, made one wrong guess, then Illedris would have a clear shot at her soul, that much she knew. But her tactic of moving about the clearing proved to be a good one, and once more she was able to land a solid kick to the demon's midsection, but that was far from a finishing move.

"You must be the reason Gilbert had turned insubordinate," Illedris seethed as another one of her jabs was deflected by one of Elizaveta's swords. When she recurred from above, Elizaveta was able to roll out of the way, smoothing bouncing back to her feet as Illedris attacked her directly. This time Elizaveta used both her swords to block her pointed hand, making an "X" with her blades, clenching her jaw tightly. The two pushed against each other in a tense stalemate for a moment as Illedris went on hatefully, "You must have really swept him off his feet. You're the only Class A student he never told me about."

"That's because I'm not a Class A hunter," Elizaveta replied, unafraid, "But I don't need that rank to beat you. It's just a label, after all. I'll defeat you, and I'll do it for my friends, not for glory! I'll do whatever it takes to protect them!"

"You are a fool, just like the rest of your kind," she sneered, before fading into smoke.

Elizaveta whirled around, expecting the demon to go for her exposed back. She was wrong. Illedris resurfaced on her right, and by the time Elizaveta pivoted on the balls of her feet, it was too late. The she demon smacked one of her swords away, effectively disarming her on one side. When Illedris teleported again, Elizaveta knew her only choice now was to dodge and avoid being impaled. At this rate, she would become exhausted soon, and her stamina would be diminished, while the demon could still fight at a high pace and overwhelm her.

There was nothing she could do about it. She was out of options. Unless...

Elizaveta waited for just the right moment...Now! Illedris appeared in front of her, and Elizaveta nimbly evaded the demon's arm by sidestepping around it and instead of aiming for the demon's heart like she normally did, she brought her sword upward and sliced through Illedris's other hand.

"No!" Illedris screeched, but went silent as Elizaveta put the tip of her sword at the demon's throat.

There was a pause, and a flash of reluctance in Elizaveta's eyes. And Illedris didn't miss it. Her lips curled into a knowing smirk.

"You can't kill me," the demon said softly, "Because if you do, you'll be sending your precious Gilbert on a one-way trip to Hell."

Elizaveta said nothing.

"Just do it, Lizzie!" Gilbert shouted, "This is your only chance! If I wasn't prepared to face the consequences, then I wouldn't have come-" He stopped abruptly, and instead let out a tortured cry as a new pang of agony shot through him from the Mark. He doubled over, losing any control over himself that he had left, convulsing violently as his mind and every inch of his body screamed for release.

"Gilbert!" Elizaveta's eyes widened. "Free him! Free him from the soul deal!" she demanded hysterically, pressing her sword closer to the demon's neck.

But Illedris only laughed. "Why would I do that? He's my last asset. If I go to the Underworld tonight, then he's coming with me!"

"Kill her!" Gilbert tried to call, but his voice came out mangled and coarse. Elizaveta hesitated a moment too long. Illedris had evaporated into smoke, her laughter still filling the clearing.

"I stand corrected," her disembodied voice mused humorously, "You, girl, are even more foolish than the hunter I just killed! Gilbert will be sucked into eternal torment no matter what. Just look at him!"

The she demon was right, of course. Gilbert glanced down at his hands, and to his horror, saw that they were becoming tinged with black, as if his very skin were turning to ash, until he would crumble into that dust-like substance he was so familiar with. Soon the blackness would spread from his hands throughout his body, as his soul tore itself apart and burned out. There wasn't much left of his soul now. It was only a matter of time...

"Gilbert, no!" Elizaveta cried. She was about to lose him forever, and she was utterly helpless! This was the end. She had lost and Illedris had won.

Suddenly, without warning, someone came barreling out of the forest into the clearing beside Gilbert, rambunctious as always. "Looks like the hero's here to save the day yet again!" Alfred announced with a broad grin on his face, holding up his scythe above his head.

Despite everything, despite being reduced to oblivion with every waking second, Gilbert could not remember a time he was happier to see the reaper boy. Elizaveta was surprised to see him as well.

Illedris was so shocked that she reappeared, a few yards away from Elizaveta, staring at Alfred's weapon in disbelief. "A reaper?! No, that's impossible. Reapers can't be here! T-the mandate!"

"Take a closer look, demon!" Alfred smirked, pointing his thumb at his own chest, "I have a soul. So I'm not one of the seven reapers. But I didn't come here to use my scythe on you." With that, Alfred turned to Gilbert and shocked them all once more. He brought his scythe over his head, and without hesitation, brought it back down upon Gilbert's chest. It was so incomprehensible that Gilbert didn't even react.

But the blade didn't cut into his flesh. Instead, it passed through his body as if he were a ghost. The blade was actually cutting into his soul. The intensity of this pain, of his soul being sliced into two, it was indescribable. Gilbert could vaguely process that he was indeed screaming, but he wasn't entirely sure. The rupture was so great that it momentarily disrupted any flow of information within Gilbert's mind, overloading all of his senses at once, rendering him incapable of thinking. It only lasted a brief moment, however, and when Alfred withdrew his weapon, he inspected his handiwork, satisfied.

"Most of your soul is still intact," he smiled, thought a little apologetic for causing an immense amount of suffering on Gilbert's part, "I just thought I'd take the liberty of scraping off the black impurity you didn't need."

Finally, Gilbert understood. "You figured it out..." he stammered, almost unable to comprehend what had just happened. It truly was unbelievable. After all these years...he was finally free. "You saved me..."

"You know me," Alfred winked, "Just being the hero."

"No! This can't be happening!" Illedris shrieked wildly, "I never lose! How dare you take my servant from me! All of you will perish for defying me!" She was clearly losing it, insanity plain in her black eyes. "My army will kill you all!"

But Gilbert was already in position. With the last ounce of energy he had left, he manifested a bow into his palm and created a single arrow. He notched it at once before Illedris could snap out of her dementia, and then let his arrow fly. It was a clear shot, but Illedris caught sight of the arrow a moment too late. She tried to dodge, but it pierced her shoulder. It wasn't enough to kill her, but it did stop her from turning to smoke and disappearing away.

Elizaveta did not waste her opportunity. She thrust her blade into Illedris's chest. The demon gave a horrible, blood-curling scream, her eyes rolling into her head. Then, slowly, Illedris's form began to fade into fragments of smoke that disintegrated until there was nothing left of her, not even a trace. The sword clattered to the ground.

The three hunters were still staring at the spot long after the demon was gone. Gilbert felt numb. He should have been elated, right? The demon who had held him prisoner ever since he was nine was gone. He was free. Truly free.

But this was no time for a celebration. They all knew that.

"I-is that Roderich?" Alfred blanched, his voice cracking. He must have just noticed the body soaked with blood in the dark. He could see there was no longer a soul. It had passed on to the afterlife. "Oh no..."

Tears threatened to spill from Elizaveta's eyes. She couldn't even speak for fear that her voice would betray her. For a moment none of them said anything. Finally, she whispered, "I got here too late...if only I had been faster I could have..."

Gilbert shook his head, his voice broken, "Illedris was right. I'm responsible for his death. And all the deaths tonight for that matter."

"No, Gilbert, that's not-" Alfred started, but immediately his expression changed to alarm when Gilbert collapsed, his breaths shallow and raspy.

"Gilbert!" Elizaveta rushed to kneel beside him, but didn't know what to do. "What's wrong with him?" she asked Alfred hysterically. Gilbert's vision blurred.

"His soul is extremely unstable," Alfred bit his lip, "Even though the black impurity is gone, his soul is in turmoil. If we don't get him to Yao soon, he'll..."

And that was all Gilbert heard before he lost consciousness, and the darkness engulfed him completely.

* * *

From the Author: That was the climax. Intense? I hope so.

Roderich is Austria, Dr. Zwingli is Switzerland, Lili is Liectenstein.

Before you all yell at me, this is NOT the last chapter, I swear. In fact, I have an important announcement to make. I'm not sure if anyone guessed this yet, but there will be a sequel. Can't forget about all those loose ends, now can we? (Hint hint: Tao!) I thought about making it a separate story, with the same characters and such, but I decided it would be more convenient to just continue from The Soul Deal and make it a Part 2, like some books do. There will be probably two more chapters of The Soul Deal Part 1, the falling action.

After Part 1 ends, Part 2 will begin as the next chapter of the Soul Deal, but it's subtitle will be The Prince of Darkness. Please think of that as the actual title, even though the main title will say The Soul Deal. It'll make more sense when that part begins.

Anyways, thanks a million for reading this far, and seeing Gilbert through to his final showdown! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you will continue to follow Gilbert's journey through to Part 2: The Prince of Darkness. Any feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks and until next chapter!


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: Take a guess...Yup! Don't own Hetalia.

* * *

Gilbert found himself standing in the midst of ruined buildings and debris littering the desolate area. It took Gilbert a moment to realize that he was standing on what used to be the campus grounds of the Venator Academy, reduced to rubble with not a single sign of life anywhere. It was barren, and dead, to his utter horror.

Suddenly, black fires began to rise up from the ground, surrounding him and engulfing the ruins, turning the sky a sickly, ashen gray color. Gilbert began to panic, but saw no way of escape, and his heart abruptly wrenched inside of him, and his mind started to throb violently. He doubled over involuntarily, choking on the poisonous fumes and staggered back dizzily. What was happening?

Then came the whispers. They were faint at first, almost inaudible. But they picked up volume quickly, until the numerous, disembodied voices were practically shouting in his ears harshly.

"You traitor!" They shrieked in unison, resounding painfully. "We trusted you! We took you in as one of our family! And you betrayed us! You destroyed our home! You let the demons take over with the information you gave them! You killed us!"

"Killed us! Killed us!" their voices continued to echo in his head.

"I-I didn't mean for this to happen!" Gilbert cried desperately, covering his ears with his hands, but it didn't help at all. The voices grew even louder, if anything.

"You don't deserve to live!" they thundered back angrily. "You should be dead, not us! You deserve to die!"

"Die! Die!"

Gilbert fell to his knees, his eyes closed tightly, his voice cracking, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" The voices were right. He did deserve to die for the unforgivable crimes he had committed against his friends. Perhaps it was time to succumb, let death take him like the voices wanted.

"Gilbert! Gilbert, please!" A different voice called out over the rest, compassionate and...something else. Something he could not name. "Please come back! You can't die, not yet! We still need you! Your friends still need you! And I need you! So please, wake up!"

Her voice was so familiar. The other voices were nothing in comparison to hers. He wanted nothing more than to run to her, but he did not know where she was. The shadows were growing bigger, drawing nearer, as if trying to seize him and wrap him in darkness forever.

"Die! Die! Die! DIE!" The voices became louder and louder, trying to drown out her singular, hopeful one.

If he didn't do anything soon, he'd lose her for good. "No!" He shouted back, almost to the point of madness. "NO!" In his hand manifested a simple sword, but this time, it gave off a luminescent, bright light. The shadows sizzled and burned under the illumination, shrinking back, while the voice hissed and screeched but became fainter.

Then, with a brilliant flash from the blade-

Gilbert's eyes fluttered open. His fists were shaking at his sides. The first thing he noticed was the soreness, the aches that riddled his body, the prominent throbbing in the back of his head. His vision was blurry, but gradually, it cleared.

He found himself in a sterile, white room, lying on a hospital bed under a soft, thin blanket, his head resting on a fluffy pillow.

...What? How did he get here...?

Turning his head was an endeavor in itself, as his neck was stiff and still considerably sore, but he managed it, only see Elizaveta sitting in a chair beside him, sleeping, her head resting on the side of his bed. However, she seemed to feel him stir and move in the bed, and woke up slowly herself, yawning and rubbing her eyes. Gilbert noticed how healthy and well she looked, with only a small scar on her cheek, and a few on her arms, but other than that, she looked like she hadn't fought or been injured in a long time. He gave a small sigh of relief, beyond happy to see that she was fine.

Finally, she was fully awake, and realized that Gilbert was to. There was pause, disbelief written all over her face, and then... "Gilbert!" she squealed, elated, "You're awake!" She looked like the only thing she wanted to do was bend down and hug him to death, but she restrained herself, knowing he was still probably in a really bad shape. "Thank goodness you're all right! I-I thought...I mean, Yao healed you as best he could, but you still wouldn't wake up and even Mr. Karpusi wasn't sure if you'd ever wake up again! Alfred said that whatever that demon did to you really damaged your soul. W-we were all so worried about you!" Suddenly, tears sprang into her eyes, but she did her best to blink past them, "I thought you'd end up like Tao...lost in a coma forever...and I'd never get to see you again..."

Gilbert was stunned. Speechless, too. Then he smiled. "Well, you don't have to worry anymore. I'm fine, thanks to you."

Elizaveta smiled back. It was a beautiful smile, genuine and sincere, and it made Gilbert's heart feel so much lighter. "I thought that if you were brave enough to go to the Underworld for your friends, then the least I could do was save your ass," she giggled. "And you should also thank Alfred. He's the one that really saved you. I can't believe he realized the answer before any of us did. I guess I underestimated him."

"Yeah, I owe him a lot," Gilbert admitted with a grin, sitting up and ignoring his aching muscles.

"And Yao, too, he's the one who healed you. That's probably why you're awake right now," Elizaveta pointed out.

"Wait...he healed me?" Gilbert paled, a wave of shock and panic flooding his mind.

Elizaveta blinked, but then was quick to reassure, "No, it's okay. His curse is gone. He's free now, too, just like you. Kiku killed Nihilum during the invasion!"

Gilbert relaxed his shoulders, sighing in relief once more. "That's awesome!" Then he thought about the invasion again. "So then...we won?"

Elizaveta nodded. "After you passed out, the demons realized that their leader was gone, and things became really chaotic. But we did it! We pulled through! I guess you can say it's because angels were looking down on us." She smiled knowingly, as if she knew something Gilbert didn't, but then sorrowful thoughts came to his mind.

"How many did we lose?"

She stopped smiling, and looked away. "We can talk about that later, when you're healthier."

"Lizzie..I have to know."

"No, you don't," she replied tersely, "You'll only blame yourself, and that's not good for you. Especially in the condition you're in."

Gilbert said nothing, and only stared down at his hands. The image of Roderich's death replayed itself in his head. Elizaveta looked at him sadly.

"He wouldn't have wanted you to feel this way," she murmured softly, knowing what he was thinking about, "He didn't regret anything, I'm sure. He went out like a true demon hunter, protecting his family. Now he'd want us to do that in his stead."

"I know," was all he could whisper.

Elizaveta watched him unchanging expression, and decided to change it herself. "There are twelve desks in Class A now."

"Twelve?" Gilbert blinked, surprised. After Antonio had been demoted, and after he had been sentenced to death there had been only nine desks in that classroom.

"Yep," she grinned. "Antonio's back in. And so are you! The Council is straight up furious with the headmaster, but honestly, they can't lift a finger against us, now that we've taken on a demon army by ourselves."

"I bet they still want my head," Gilbert chuckled lightly. That was probably an understatement. "But that still only makes eleven desks. The twelfth?"

"Well," Elizaveta giggled, "It could only be the girl who slew the leader of that demon army."

A broad grin grew on Gilbert's face instantly, "Lizzie, that's so awesome! Well, you can thank me now."

"Thank _you_? Why should I? I'm the one who finished the job," she laughed, punching him in the arm playfully.

"You couldn't have done it without my awesome help," he winked back. Just then, a small cloud of smoke floated inside through the tiny crack under the door. Once inside, the smoke condensed and finally took the form of a yellow chick, which flew up and landed lightly on Gilbert's shoulder, chirping happily. "Gilbird!" Gilbert exclaimed, grinning ridiculously like an idiot.

The cute little bird chirped again, nudging his face and his fluffy feathers against the albino's cheek. With Illedris gone, they were both free. It was beyond awesome.

She was glad to see him acting like his old self again, but then she remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot! The headmaster is going to want to see you, now that you're awake. It's...it's about your brother."

"My brother?" Gilbert frowned, concern evidently in his tone. Gilbird look at her curiously as well. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing bad...you should just let the headmaster explain," she waved off vaguely. "I think you'll be surprised."

* * *

As Gilbert walked out of the infirmary and along the cobblestone paths of the Academy, he was quite astonished. The campus looked perfectly normal. Extremely normal, actually. It was around noon, since the sun was high in the sky, above a beautiful day of mild temperatures. Students mingled outside, some of them walking to class, others chatting with their peers. Most of them were mundane students. If Gilbert didn't know any better, he would have thought it was just an ordinary school.

Someone called his name. Gilbert came to a stop and turned around to see Yao, hurrying to catch up with him, a cheerful expression on his face. "You're awake," he grinned. "And you're walking! That's great!"

"I hear I have you to thank for it," Gilbert chuckled, glad to see his friend. "And I also heard you're curse-free. Kiku killed Nihilum, right?"

Yao nodded, although, with the mention of the demon, Gilbert saw flash of something else pass over his eyes. Was it...anguish? It was as if Yao was reminded of something that happened, a memory that scarred him. But before Gilbert could really put a finger on it, the strange expression was gone, and Yao was back to being jovial. "You still look a little dazed," Yao raised an eyebrow, noticing the way Gilbert had been staring at the scene around them.

"I can't believe how fast everything returned to normal," Gilbert shrugged. The two walked side by side now, passing groups of students who were carefree as ever.

"Well, it took a few days for the Academy as a whole to recover," Yao replied casually. But his tone softened a bit when he added, "We held the memorials the day after the invasion was defeated. Then a few more days later we finished making the Academy look like nothing had happened so the mundane mortals could come back."

"A few days?" Wait a second... "How long was I out?"

"About a week," Yao answered, regarding him curiously.

"A week?!" Gilbert exclaimed, shocked. He thought it had been two days at the most.

"Yes, but it could have been worse," Yao continued, "And after the memorials, Elizaveta wouldn't leave your side. Lili had to bring her food."

"Wow..." Gilbert trailed off. He hadn't realized she had been waiting so long.

"And we also gained another Class D student," Yao mused with a small halfsmile. "Michelle never evacuated, it turns out. She was looking for Francis until Alice and Lili found her. I think she's taking it well, actually."

"Really?" Gilbert couldn't help but laugh. For better or for worse, Francis didn't have to hide his true identity from his girlfriend now. "So do you know why the headmaster wants to see me about my brother?"

Now Yao grinned a little bigger, "I don't think it's for me to say."

"Why are you so smiley?" Gilbert narrowed his eyes. Even Elizaveta had reacted that way. It made him skeptical.

"You'll see, aru," Yao said as he came to a halt in front of the main office. Gilbert raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it further. Instead, he said a quick goodbye, and headed for the headmaster's office.

* * *

Gilbert knocked on the lavish double doors to the office, which creaked open as soon as he touched them, only to see that Ludwig was already inside, sitting in a cushioned chair across from Mr. Vargas's large desk. The headmaster was standing behind his desk, as well as Mr. Karpusi. They seemed to be in the middle of a discussion of sorts when the headmaster stopped in mid-sentence and glanced at the doorway to see Gilbert standing there. Ludwig noticed his pause, and turned around as well.

"Gilbert!" the younger brother blinked, then gave a small smile, getting out of his chair to briefly embrace him. "I'm so glad you're awake! When you wouldn't wake up, you got me really worried," he said matter-of-factly as he pulled back. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Of course! I can't believe you doubted me and my awesomeness," Gilbert grinned. Seeing his little brother alive and not in danger always made him feel a bit better, as if a great deal of tension had been relieved from his shoulders. He recalled one of Illedris's last threats as she unleashed her wrath upon him, vowing to find Ludwig and torture him as well. The thought made him want to shudder, even though the demon was gone. But it was over now, Gilbert reminded himself. Over seven years of secrecy and guile just to keep his brother alive, and out of harm's way, and now it was finally over.

Ludwig rolled his eyes, but he kept his small smile. "Now I know you're all right." He sat back down in his chair, and Gilbert took a seat in the one adjacent.

"Welcome back," Mr. Vargas winked at Gilbert, "You must feel so out of the loop after a week of slumber. Any questions before we begin our little talk?"

"Well, we obviously drove the invasion away, but what happened to the team that went to rescue the village that was supposed to be the diversion?" he asked curiously.

"There were...a lot of innocent casualties," Mr. Vargas sighed. "Only a little more than half of the villagers survived. None of the five we sent are terribly injured, though, and they managed to clear the village out of demons eventually. In fact, the rest of Class A is on their way back here on the subway as we speak."

"But not Mr. Adnan?" Gilbert inquired.

"No. Since so many mundane mortals were exposed to demons, we had to let the Council handle it. They decided to wipe their memories."

"Wipe their memories? How?"

"One of the other demon hunting academies to the east has a hunter whose soul skill allows him to erase certain memories from a person's mind, and even those of a group of people. The mortals are in a special refugee shelter for now, and Adnan's on his way there from that other academy. His soul skill allows him to copy another's, so right now he can also wipe memories from mortals. It's a tedious process, but it has to be done."

"At least Yong Soo and the others are all right," Gilbert nodded. "So why exactly did you want to see me as soon as I woke up?"

"Two reasons, actually," Mr. Vargas replied. "First, we wanted to make sure that when Alfred split your soul, he didn't cut off anything important by accident." Even though he didn't say it outright, Gilbert knew he was being extra cautious, for fear that there would be unseen consequences, like what happened to Lovino after he split his soul, left with the more negative side. "Do you feel any lack of emotions? Missing any memories?"

"I don't think I can remember what I've forgotten, but I think Alfred did a good job, for the most part at least," he answered thoughtfully. All of the memories Antonio had seen when he read his soul were clear in his mind, so he figured that he still had the important ones. As for emotions, he was more than certain he retained them all.

"Sounds good to me," Mr. Karpusi said evenly.

"So the main reason we wanted to talk to," the headmaster moved on, a smile growing across his face, "After you passed out, the angels gave us reinforcement, which is why we were able to beat back the demon army so efficiently after their leader was slain."

"Reinforcement?" Gilbert scratched his head.

Mr. Vargas nodded. "It turns out there's another Purifying Light Hunter on this campus, and both of them are in this room."

"Mr. Karpusi?" Gilbert blinked in astonishment, glancing over at his teacher. "This whole time?!"

"No, you idiot!" Ludwig exasperated from his seat, his hand on his forehead, "It's me!"

There was a pause, then Gilbert burst out laughing, "Y-you're joking, right? That's too funny!" But then he realized he was the only one laughing, and soon his guffaws faded and he looked around quizzically, "Wait, you _are_ joking, right?"

Ludwig sighed and stood up, his hand removing the coiled leather whip that hung at his side. He backed away from the seats and the desk, and when he was sure he had enough room, he uncoiled the whip and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, white flames sprouted from the grip of the whip and traveled down its length, until every part of the lithe weapon was emanating a strange, pure white flame that danced and licked the air around it.

Gilbert was so shocked he fell out of his chair. "W-what?!" he stammered, as he picked himself off the floor, "That's impossible! Y-you've been mundane your whole life! Wait a second...you were on the battlefield?! What the hell! Didn't I tell you to get out of here?! What were you thinking?!"

The younger let his flames extinguish before calmly retaking his seat, ignoring his brother's wild, accusatory expression of alarm. "I was thinking that I could help, and for your information, I helped a lot after you fell unconscious. You yelling at me isn't going to help, and it isn't going to change the past so you might as well sit back down and pay attention if you want to get some answers."

Stupid Ludwig, always playing the "I'm so much more mature that you so you better listen to me" card with him. Gilbert grumbled, but didn't argue as he sat down.

"His Light is a little different than mine," Mr. Vargas continued, "It takes the form of flames, while mine is a burst of light. But I can tell it's the same, since it didn't burn anything but demon essence. He's been practicing this whole week to summon it."

"So why now?" Gilbert asked seriously, "I've been able to touch him my whole life, and his Light hadn't destroyed me when I had the soul deal. And it definitely wasn't there to save our asses when I first met Illedris."

"You're right. There's a reason for that," the headmaster nodded, "You see, there's more to the legend than most people know. Ludwig, you listen up too, since I haven't told you this yet. When a Purifying Light hunter masters his angel's gift, he or she becomes one of the most powerful demon hunters on the planet. But before that, they are extremely vulnerable. A soul with the angel's gift is like a neon flag for demons. It is said that any demon that consumes this kind of soul will obtain incredible power. They hunger for souls like mine and Ludwig's. And they know how vulnerable Purifying Light hunters are while they are children and while they are still learning to use their abilities."

"It sounds like Purifying Light hunters would rarely grow up to actually use their powers," Gilbert frowned.

"Alone, yes, that would be true," Mr. Vargas went on, "But the part of the legend that most are unaware about is this. When the angels select a soul to be fated to be a Purifying Light hunter, they also give that hunter a guardian, to protect them until they are old enough to master their gift. My guardian was my father. He...he did an amazing job, defending me from demons while I was young and didn't know how to control my Light."

"But my father was killed when I was three," Ludwig murmured. "I guess that was a...mistake the angels didn't anticipate."

"You know, I thought that at first too," Mr. Vargas mused, "But the guardian is not always the father, though yours played an important role in all of this. It's so obvious, now that I think about it. Your guardian has always been your brother."

"Me?" Gilbert looked uncertain. "If that's the case, then the angels still made a mistake," he added sheepishly.

"No, they couldn't have been more correct," the headmaster smiled, "Ludwig's still alive right now, isn't he? I'd say that's more than success. You protected him when you accepted the soul deal, and during all those years by yourself. I'd say you were more successful than most other guardians."

"Well, I would have done all that even if I wasn't his guardian," Gilbert said thoughtfully. "Actually, I did that because he was my brother."

"Which is precisely why you were the right choice. But that still doesn't answer the question why Ludwig's abilities didn't surface sooner. As to that...well, it's only a theory. But usually, my theories are spot on. You see, I was showing signs that I was a Purifying Light hunter when I was three years old. My family knew right away what I was, but then, so did the demons. My family...they all went through a lot of hardship because of me. Demons would come in the night, but my father always kept them back. It wasn't easy though. I lost my mother when I was only seven. My father was killed when I was fifteen, but by then, I had some idea how to use the Light. But the point is, Ludwig, I was showing signs when I was very young, but you..."

"I didn't even give any hint that I was even a demon hunter," Ludwig finished, "Even the demons thought my soul was mundane!"

"Ever since you told me, Gilbert, I wondered how a demon like Metus could have killed your father," Mr. Vargas said sadly. "Metus is a major demon, and he is quite powerful, but your father was better, I think, than that demon. At his normal soul strength, Siegfried should have been able to slay Metus...But now I realize that his soul wasn't at its usual levels that day."

"What do you mean?" Gilbert tilted his head slightly.

"I think that Ludwig did show signs as early as three years old, or perhaps even sooner, and your father knew exactly what it meant. But he also knew that the demons would be after your soul relentlessly as you grew older. And I think, and I don't know how he learned how to do this, but I think that he must have used his own soul energy to conceal Ludwig's soul, making it look mundane."

"That's why...he didn't have enough energy left to face Metus," Ludwig murmured sullenly.

"It makes sense," Gilbert pondered, "If he used his energy to hold Ludwig's back, almost like a seal...like Alfred's seal. It wouldn't surprise me if a reaper taught my father how to turn energy into a seal. He must have done an amazing job. Illedris always thought Ludwig's soul was especially delicious, but she never saw a seal on it. Maybe then, she would have known..."

"A seal fits the description," Mr. Karpusi nodded, "And when Ludwig's emotions spiked, it was enough to break the seal and summon his true power. I think Siegfried designed it that way, for the seal to break when the time was right."

For some reason, this information made Gilbert feel a little bit better, though he couldn't fathom why. Maybe it was the knowledge that his father wasn't truly beaten by Metus, and maybe it was knowing that his father had tried to secure their futures as best he could by going through such great lengths and risks. He still missed him though. He would never stop missing him.

"So now that we know what you really are," Mr. Vargas said, looking over at the younger brother, "You don't have to stay in Class D anymore. For now, we'll place you in Class B. You have a lot of training to catch up on. However, you will be pulled out of class a few times a week for special lessons with yours truly. We'll focus on the Purifying Light privately."

"Right," Ludwig nodded studiously.

"But for now, all demon hunting classes have been suspended until next Monday," the headmaster waved off cheerfully, "You all deserve that much of a break after everything you've been through. Go enjoy yourselves and relax."

Gilbert knew that was his merry way of dismissing them for now. He and his brother left the room together, the elder still somewhat in awe of the information he had just learned. Pass out for a week and it's like the world turns upside down.

Mr. Karpusi waited until the two were definitely out of earshot. "I can't believe it," he cracked a smile, "Two Purifying Light hunters in one region. That never happens. The angels really were looking down on us. And not to mention the Academy also has the only half-reaper hunter ever to walk this world. Not even I could have seen this coming. Fate never fails to surprise me."

Romulus didn't share his positive demeanor. Heracles glanced over at him when he did not reply, and his smile quickly faded. The headmaster looked stricken, as if any moment now he would become sick. Before Heracles could even ask, he uttered, "My father was killed by a demon while trying to protect me, because I wasn't ready. I couldn't use the Light like I can now. And my guardian died because of it."

"Romulus..." Heracles knew it was not uncommon for old scars to reopen, and he realized that talking to Siegfried's sons must have triggered the traumatic event to resurface to his mind. "Your father would've-"

But he was cut off brusquely, Romulus's reply so distressed that Heracles almost jumped out of astonishment, "I'm not worried about the past, Heracles! I-I'm worried...should I have told them? But I couldn't...bring myself to do say it..."

"Tell them what?" Heracles asked softly, reading his old friend's anxious eyes with concern.

"There's more to the legend...only Purifying Light hunters themselves would know this," Romulus whispered, his voice shaking. Heracles had only ever seen him like this once before, a long time ago. "The guardians...they always die before the hunter can truly use the Light to its fullest potential. It's like...the guardian is fated to die like mine did."

"That can't be," Heracles insisted, trying to ease his paranoia. He knew well enough that there were some experiences that hunters went through that damage them permanently. And he knew that Romulus had had more than his fair share of those experiences. But he also knew that his friend was strong, probably the strongest person he'd ever met, and that Romulus wouldn't stay like this for long. Though he was entitled to at least a few brief, fleeting moments of this nature.

"You don't understand," Romulus shook his head, gathering his thoughts and taking a deep breath, "It's like it's an event that has to happen for the Purifying Light hunter to reach true power. When the guardian dies, the person who inextricably close to the hunter is killed, it's the final lesson to be learned. That the Purifying Light is not all-powerful. That life is so valuable but can be easily taken away. That even with a gift from the angels, the sacred law of death still stands. It breaks the hunter, it really does. But the hunter has no choice but to pick up the pieces and heal, stronger than before, or else waste every sacrifice the guardian made."

"It doesn't have to be like that," Heracles shook his head, but now the doubts were rooting within him as well. "Gilbert isn't going to die like that. Fate works in funny way, Romulus. We should now that the most, right? Hell, we thought it was impossible to break a soul deal, but he pulled through. Ludwig can become strong and powerful without enduring that kind of burden."

Romulus looked away, but his normal stature and disposition seemed to have returned, to Heracles's relief. "I want to believe you," he murmured. "They're all so young. I hope with all my soul that you're right."

* * *

A few hours later, Gilbert found himself laughing along with Antonio and Francis as they walked out of the cafe, stomachs full and content. A lot had changed during the invasion and during the week Gilbert had spent unconscious, but their friendship cemented even further, if anything. None of them had been permanently injured, and they were all still enjoying the euphoria of the victory and of, well, just being alive. Gilbert was more than happy to know that Antonio would be in his classroom again once demon hunting classes resumed, and by now, Francis was finally getting around to accepting the idea that his girlfriend had been moved into Class D, and had, in fact, shot a crossbow at a demon when he thought she was in the city. The sky was a welcoming shade of blue, dotted by white, fluffy clouds here and there. It was a beautiful day for being alive.

Francis caught sight of Yao walking purposefully by, and waved. "Where are you going?" Antonio asked him curiously.

"Kim and the others are about to arrive in the subway station," Yao told them, "I'm going there right now."

"Yeah, sounds like a great idea," Antonio nodded cheerfully, "I'm sure they have stories to tell, and we have so much to tell them, too!"

It was settled. The four of them made their way to the tucked-away subway station just as their fellow classmates were stepping off the train. But to Gilbert's surprise, they weren't alone. There was a kid with them, with blonde hair and prominent cerulean blue eyes. He had an amazed expression on his face, as if he couldn't believe he was here, taking in the campus's scenery with awe. Gilbert noticed that he stayed close to Yong Soo more than Kim, Ivan or Natalya.

"Um...why do you have a child with you?" Antonio asked Yong Soo.

"I'm not a child," the kid huffed indignantly, straightening up as if that would make him look older and taller.

"This is Peter," Yong Soo introduced, "We decided to bring him back with us from the village."

"Why?" Yao frowned, then hissed at the Korean angrily, trying to keep Peter from hearing, "Did anyone say you could do that? All the survivors are supposed to have their memories wiped at the refugee shelter!"

"I know, but Peter's different! He's...he's an orphan, like us, Yao!" Yong Soo refuted defensively, "He had nowhere else to go, and-"

"And you thought we could take him in," Yao sighed, "That's not your decision to make. Kim, why didn't you tell him not to?"

"Well, I...I just didn't think he needed his memory to be wiped," Kim answered, but her reply seemed sheepish. She actually didn't stop him because Peter reminded her so much of someone, but she couldn't recall who. She wasn't going to list that reason, however.

"And I don't want to wipe my memory!" Peter exclaimed, irritated that they were talking like he wasn't standing right there, "I wanted to come here with Yong Soo!"

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now," Gilbert shrugged, "Maybe we can help him find someplace to stay in a safer city."

"Why can't I stay here with you guys?" Peter demanded.

"I wouldn't say this is a place for children," Ivan chuckled to himself. "We aren't babysitters, we're hunters."

"Because you deserve a better environment to grow up in," Kim said quickly before Peter could get mad at the Russian student. "You should grow up with your family. Do you have relatives who could take care of you?"

"I guess, but I have no idea where they are," Peter answered grudgingly.

"We can help you find them!" Antonio suggested wholeheartedly.

"Yeah," Gilbert nodded. "All we really need is your last name, right?"

Yao nodded in agreement. "So Peter, what's your last name?"

"Kirkland," he replied, folding his arms over his chest.

There was a pause. Everybody just stared at him for a long moment, as it clicked in all their heads. "What?" Peter frowned after a minute, realizing things had gotten mildly creepy with everyone's eyes on his face.

"No way!" Gilbert exclaimed.

"The eyebrows should have given it away," Francis chuckled. "I should have known the moment I saw you."

"No wonder you look so familiar," Kim blinked. "You look just like Arthur!"

"W-wait," Peter stuttered, and his confusion also seemed to give a hint of panic, "How do you know that name?"

"That's your older brother, right? Arthur Kirkland," Yong Soo said with a grin. He knew he was right to bring him to the Academy after all, he just didn't know why until now.

"H-how do you know that name?" Peter stammered, eyes widening, and Gilbert was able to catch the mingled alarm and desolation growing behind them.

Everyone else seemed to catch on to his increasingly distressed disposition, and the smiles quickly faded into worry. "What's wrong?" Kim bit her lip. "We all know Arthur. It's all right."

"No!" Peter abruptly shouted, shaking his head, backing away from them slowly, unsteadily. His eyes were wild now. "Y-you...you're all crazy!"

They all looked at Peter, startled, except Gilbert. In his peripheral vision, he noticed Antonio shift to his left brusquely. When he glanced over at his friend, Gilbert saw a different expression, one of dismayed realization, as if he just remembered something, something awful, and Gilbert knew that he knew why Peter was acting this way. "Oh shit," the Spaniard muttered under his breath. "I can't believe I forgot..."

"What is it?" Gilbert whispered to him, frowning.

"I read Arthur's soul once...I should've remembered sooner. It must've been because of my fight with Mentis," Antonio griped.

Meanwhile, Kim, Yong Soo, Yao, and even Francis were trying to calm Peter down, but he refused to let them get near him. "Just tell us what's wrong," Yong Soo said earnestly.

"You're all mental! Or you're all liars! None of you can know who Arthur is!" Peter went on, his tone accusatory, "Because my brother died eight years ago! Arthur Kirkland is dead!"

* * *

From the Author: Oh Peter...

Peter is Sealand, by the way. Heracles Karpusi is Greece, Romulus Vargas is Rome. Kim is Vietname, Yong Soo is Korea.

Even during the falling action, I will not make things easy on this plotline ;)

Only one more chapter left before Part 2 begins! I'm going to be honest with you guys, I'm so excited to start the sequel~ I hope you guys will stay tuned to continue Gilbert's journey through to the end, because I can promise you a few plot twists and more! Including, but not limited to, the Nordics (notice how I avoided using them until now?), the Baltics, and not to mention Ludwig's new skill, and the reapers compromise! All of these and more will be featured in The Prince of Darkness.

Anyways, thanks so much for reading this far and for all the priceless encouragement! I couldn't ask for a more fantastic audience! Thanks again, and until next chapter!


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia. I do not own the characters, just the plot~

* * *

Arthur walked along the cobblestone path, taking in the fresh air and enjoying the beautiful day. The sun was shining, and all was well. Well deserved, too, anyways, he thought. After what he and his friends had been through, they deserved a break. Alfred walked side by side with him, talking energetically about who knows what. Mundane students walked past them, completely and blissfully unaware of the tragedies that had struck only last week. But they didn't need to know about how the fate of humanity had almost tipped the wrong way, in favor of the demons. They didn't need to know that their fellow demon hunting students had virtually saved this entire region from falling under demonic rule and chaos. No, it was best they did not know who the real heroes were. Because as long as Arthur knew, and his friends knew, it was enough.

"Hey, Arthur..." Alfred said, his tone softening. The sudden shift in his mood caught Arthur's attention, and he glanced over at his friend to see the sad smile pass over his face. To be honest, Arthur was surprised to see such an expression come over him.

"What is it?"

"I never got the chance to say thank you to Roderich."

Arthur was so taken aback, he couldn't even speak. This was the last thing he expected him to say.

"I heard his voice," Alfred went on, "I'm sure it was his voice. Right before the harmony link snapped and disappeared." Arthur knew what he was talking about. In the middle of battle, during the invasion, Arthur had felt a strange jolt inside of him, and all telepathic communication was cut off. "Roderich told me where to find Gilbert. Without him, I wouldn't have made it in time. I wish I could have said thanks."

There was a moment of silence, then Arthur gave a small smile back, "It's not like it's too late, you know. He can still hear you, I'm sure of it."

"You know what, you're right!" Alfred grinned, his mood picking back up in a heartbeat. The two continued walking a few more steps before he asked, "Where are we going, anyways?"

"Kim and the others are back from the village. We're going to meet them at the subway station right now," Arthur rolled his eyes. He had explained this to Alfred five minutes ago. "They already know about the invasion, just not the details. Kim and I have to be on the same page by the time demon hunting classes start up again."

"Oh right," Alfred chuckled lightheartedly, "You class reps always have to know everything about everybody."

There was another pause, and both of them were soon thinking the same thing. Laura would need to find another Class B representative soon. There were many candidates from Class B, of course, including Lovino, Lars, Matthew, and a few others, but the cold fact remained unspoken. Without Roderich, that position would always feel as if something was missing.

Finally, Alfred spoke up again, "I just realized. I'm going to be seventeen soon. In a couple of weeks."

Arthur knew what he was implying of course. "And your reaper compromise will come to a final decision," he finished for his friend. "Are you worried?"

"Not really," he shrugged back, then grinned at him, "As long as I don't mess with any more soul anchors, I should be fine! Although, I wonder if they're angry about me splitting Gilbert's soul. If they are...well, I guess that's too bad!"

Arthur was about to reply, but then the two reached the subway station, and walked right into a tense atmosphere. He could not only feel it as soon as they entered, but Arthur could also easily see the shocked and confused expressions on everyone's face. They weren't even looking at them as they walked in. Instead, all their attention was on a boy, standing in the center of the room, with wild eyes and heavy breaths, as if he had just been yelling.

A tidal wave of horror struck Arthur abruptly, almost to the point that the wind was knocked out of him. That boy...! No, no, it can't be! How is it possible?! After all these years...! Was it all for nothing?! No, wait, the boy hadn't seen him yet. Perhaps if he was quiet enough he could sneak out of the station before anyone noticed...

"Hey guys! What's going on here?" Alfred waved cheerfully. Everyone was snapped from their confused states and turned to look at him and Arthur. Even the boy.

Bloody hell.

Peter's jaw dropped. His eyes grew even wider with incomprehension and astonishment. "Y-you...!" he pointed a shaky finger at Arthur, his gaze taking in all of his familiar lineaments. "That's...impossible... You're dead..." His mouth ran dry, and it struggled to form the rest of his jumbled thoughts into spoken words, struggled to form the name he had just screamed only moments ago.

"How does that kid know you're supposed to be dead?" Alfred frowned, raising an eyebrow at Arthur.

"Shut up, you wanker!" Arthur hissed under his breath. This was bad. Really bad. He needed to get out of here. An excuse to haul ass right out of the station. His eyes searched the room as his brain scrambled for something to say. Then he saw Gilbert, standing a few feet to his left, staring at the quandary unfolding in front of him. "G-Gilbert! There you are!" he said suddenly, recomposing himself, "I've been looking for you! I really need to talk to you right away! It can't wait!"

With that, he grabbed the perplexed albino's wrist, and practically dragged him out of the station in such a hurry, Gilbert almost fell flat on his face. Once they were out of everyone's sight, Arthur tugged on his wrist even harder, until they were both running, or more like sprinting, away. Arthur led him through the campus, making random turns, until finally ducking behind the guys' dorms building. Catching his breath, Arthur leaned his back against the wall, then slowly slid down until he was sitting on the grassy ground, his legs stretched out before him. Gilbert watched him for a moment, still caught in disbelief, before positioning himself the same way, sitting with his back against the wall. They were silent for another brief moment.

"What the hell is going on?" Gilbert exasperated, looking expectantly at Arthur.

"It's a long story," he mumbled back, staring down at his trembling hands.

"Well it's a good thing I've got time," Gilbert replied without missing a beat. "I know you don't have to talk to me. You just needed an excuse."

"Actually," Arthur looked at him now, "I really do need to talk to you, but just not that urgently. I'm glad you're awake."

"Then our talk can wait until after you tell me why Peter thinks you're dead."

"I don't even know where to start..."

"Then start with the beginning."

Arthur sighed, and glanced up at the blue sky. For a few moments, he didn't say anything, but Gilbert didn't pressure him. Finally, he started, "The demon hunting lineage in my family is different from most others. Demon hunters in my family tree are rare, but when there are hunters, they're powerful. They always have soul skills that are meant for destroying demon essences, like mine. Neither of my parents were demon hunters, but from the moment I was born, they knew what I was because my hands were already starting to give off a greenish glow. My grandfather was also a hunter, and he was proud to see that there was already another hunter in the Kirkland family, since there usually isn't two hunters within four generations. He promised my parents he'd teach me everything he knew and keep me safe."

He paused, and glanced over at Gilbert, who was listening intently. "My grandfather actually graduated from the Academy. But afterwards, he spent his years demon hunting on his own until he married a mundane, my grandmother. Even still, he always remained part of the demon hunting community, secretly, anyway. As soon as I learned how to walk, I was using my soul skill, though I didn't know how to control it. I spent a lot of time growing up with my grandfather after that. He taught me how to control it, and when he thought I was old enough to understand, he taught me what it meant to be a demon hunter. When I was four, my parents gave me a younger brother. We all waited for years to see if he would become like me, but he wouldn't. Peter was mundane, like my parents, but it shouldn't have been a surprise. Seven-year-old me was disappointed, since I thought we could learn to be hunters together."

Arthur stopped talking for another long moment, and Gilbert patiently watched as Arthur closed his eyes and collected his thoughts, before continuing, "That's when bad things started happening. I still hadn't mastered soul projection, but demons were beginning to find me. The first time I met a demon, I froze up. My grandfather saved me, but he was bitten in the process. A few days later he died of demon poison. Before he died, he told me that more demons would come. He told me where I could find one of his demon hunter friends in the city, and after he died, I found him. By that point...I realized that I wasn't strong enough to protect my family. Maybe...maybe if it was just me, then I wouldn't have done it, but my parents had Peter. I didn't want him to get hurt because of me."

Gilbert could already see where this story was going. "So you ran away..."

He nodded. "But I didn't want them looking for me. And the only way to do that was to make them think I died."

"You staged your death at seven years old?" Gilbert shook his head incredulously.

"No, I didn't actually do it until I was eight," Arthur took a deep breath sadly, "The hunter that my grandfather told me to find had a special soul skill that can create false memories inside a person's soul. He helped me, because he was indebted to my grandfather, and made my parents and Peter think that I had died of a disease. He even gave them a memory of a private cremation."

"No wonder Peter can't believe it. He thinks he saw your body...burn..." Gilbert murmured, shuddering involuntarily. "So you've pretty much died twice then?"

"I didn't actually die! I just staged it. And afterwards, I decided to come to the Academy my grandfather came from. I should have changed my name, to be honest, but I couldn't let it go. It was the one thing I had left that my parents gave me. I told everyone I was an orphan. And...I guess since Peter's here, now I really am one." Arthur looked away, blinking past tears, but Gilbert heard his voice crack ever so slightly.

"Arthur..." Gilbert didn't know what to say. He could only recall the crushing devastation he went through when he found out his parents had died all those years ago.

"So it was all for nothing, wasn't it? Even after all that bloody lying...my parents were still killed by demons," he whispered, his lower lip trembling.

"But Peter's still alive," Gilbert maintained, placing a firm hand on his friend's shoulder. "Look, I know how hard it is to lie in order to protect those you care about. But sooner or later, the truth forces itself out. You still have a brother who needs you now more than ever!"

"...How can I face him? You saw him back there. He'll think he's gone mad when he sees me!"

"He's already seen you," Gilbert sighed. "You might as well tell him the whole story now. And everyone else, while you're at it. They are so confused right now!"

Arthur was quiet for a moment, before he too sighed and gave a small smile. "I guess you're right. God, I can't believe how much he's grown since then. I don't even know what my little brother is like..." Gilbert was glad to see him calm down, slowly returning to his normal self. "I really do have something to tell you," Arthur added thoughtfully, "It's a message from the information brokers that came during invasion."

Gilbert blinked, surprised. "What happened to them?" He remembered seeing Neeraja, Carlos, and Maria kicking ass that night, but by the time he awoke, they were gone.

"Well, after the battle was over, Mr. Vargas gave them a warm welcome. He apologized about their current situation with the Council. And since the headmaster's already breaking rules left and right by promoting Antonio and keeping you as a student, he decided to offer them a place at the Academy. They were shocked for a moment, but then they declined. They said they still had a business to run, but they were grateful for the offer," he explained. "They wanted to wait until you woke up, but they had to return to their city."

"So what's the message?"

"Neeraja wanted me to tell you that he's been working on getting more information on the 'Garden' or whatever. He said that Maria's found a new lead and Carlos is going through old legends about it. He said that when he has substantial information he'll contact you again somehow." Arthur recounted. "So what's this Garden he was talking about?"

"The Garden of Lost Souls," Gilbert recalled, still processing the message. "Last time I saw them, I asked if they knew where a missing soul would be, you know, for Tao. Carlos said something about the Garden, but it was just a myth. Maria said it could be a real place, though."

"Oh..." Arthur trailed off, his expression darkening. "You haven't heard yet what happened to Tao at the invasion, have you?" Gilbert furrowed his brow, and shook his head. Then Arthur proceeded to tell him about Nihilum possessing Yao's brother, forcing Yao and Mei to fight him, almost killing them both until Kiku drove the demon out of Tao's body. All the while, Gilbert felt a new seedling of hatred for demons bud within him. "Now Tao's back in the infirmary with his life support equipment. Nihilum's power actually increased his health considerably, like he had never been in a coma until recently. But...Yao's not taking it well. He looks fine on the outside, but I know better. He's feeling the guilt and shame all over again. Laura told me yesterday that Mei cries herself to sleep every night now."

"Damnit," Gilbert cursed softly. "I hope Neeraja gets that information soon, because as soon as he does, I'm going to find his soul, I swear!"

"Tao used to be Class B," Arthur said poignantly, "Laura still feels like she failed him, you know, even though there was nothing she could have done. There's no way she could find his soul if Kiku couldn't. Roderich never showed it, but I know he never got over it either."

"Even more reason to find him," Gilbert affirmed. He stilled owed Roderich everything, and though it could never be enough, at least Gilbert could finish this job for him.

"I...I think I'm going to find Peter now," Arthur said slowly as he picked himself up. Gilbert did the same.

"Wait, before you go, where did you guys hold the memorials?"

Arthur turned to face toward the back of the school's campus. The academy was in the center of a small valley, so there were hills in the distance from all sides, but on the southern side, there was one hill that was taller than the rest. Its top was flat ground, from what Gilbert could tell from so far away, and that's where Arthur pointed. "It's a four hour walk to the top from here," he said.

"Are...are they all buried up there?"

"No, we sent them to their families if they had one. But they all have a stone overlooking the home they died protecting."

* * *

Arthur had made it sound like four hours was a long time, but for Gilbert, it almost wasn't long enough. By the time he had reached the top of the hill, it was already evening, the sun hanging low in the sky, but Gilbert felt as if he wasn't ready even then. Perhaps he would never be ready for this. As soon as he saw it, his heart sank, or more like plummeted.

There were so many headstones. He was tempted to count them, but he knew it was pointless. No matter the number, it was too much. Now that he was here, Gilbert didn't know what to do. His insides twisted, and he could feel jumbled emotions tugging at his mind. They were part of his family, every single one of them, and they were all dead because he was a traitor. His mistakes had cost them their lives.

Gilbert thought back to his nightmare, when the voices had shouted at him to die, that he was the one who deserved to be dead, not them. He wondered if that's what these hunters wanted of him. Did they hate him? He wouldn't have blamed them, if that was the case, but somehow, he knew that they didn't. His friends, his demon hunter family...they weren't capable of truly hating each other. That's how amazing they were.

As these thoughts made their way through his mind, Gilbert wandered mindlessly along the stones, standing tall on the hilltop. Arthur was right; their view was spectacular, overlooking the small valley with the beautiful school campus in the center of it all. They deserved nothing less. Then he came across Roderich's headstone.

It was just a stone, with his name elegantly engraved, no grave below it. The body must have been sent back to the family then. He had a family. And Gilbert had taken their son away from them. Was Roderich a brother as well? Did he have little siblings that looked up to him? Gilbert didn't know. He never got the chance to ask.

Suddenly, tears sprang into his eyes, and his knees buckled. Gilbert collapsed and caught himself with his hands before Roderich's headstone, tears streaking down his face. His breath hitched, and he couldn't hold it back any longer.

"I'm sorry, Roderich!" he cried, his voice broken and coarse as he wept, "I'm so sorry. That should be my headstone. This wasn't supposed to happen. Y-you weren't supposed to die!"

His tears fell onto the grass just in front of the stone. Roderich had stood up for him in the Gym when everyone else had lost faith in him. Roderich had the strength and courage to stand against Illedris, the leader of the demon army, to defend Gilbert, moments before he was about to be sucked into the Underworld. And Gilbert couldn't even summon the strength to help him when he was killed.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered again, though he knew that would never be enough.

A tender hand touched Gilbert's shoulder. He turned, startled, to see Elizaveta standing behind him, a sorrowful smile on her lips. She had known where he was going the moment she saw him leave campus. In her hand, she held a bouquet of beautiful blue flowers, and she knelt down beside Gilbert, placing the flowers before the stone. "They're forget-me-not flowers," she murmured softly. "That's my promise to him. I'll never forget him."

Gilbert wanted to speak, if only to say sorry once more, but he couldn't find his voice through his tears. But Elizaveta didn't care. Instead, she drew him into a warm embrace, murmuring, "He hears you, you know. He's not gone. They're never truly gone."

The rise and fall of Gilbert's chest finally began to slow, and he could fell her steady heartbeat inside her chest. "I know," he whispered. "I won't forget him either, I promise."

They stayed like that before the headstone for a long while, under the orange and pink sky, knowing that Roderich could see them, and he was smiling.

That night, Yao did not return to his dorm. Instead, he stayed in the infirmary, by Tao's bedside. For a while, he just watched his younger brother's steady breathing, his eyes closed peacefully. But Yao was anything but peaceful. It was hard, it really was, to conceal the pent-up anxiety that was only growing larger and larger with each passing day.

His encounter with Nihilum had really jarred him. His slumber was fitful, and Tao would never cease to leave his thoughts. Yao knew that Mei was the same way. Seeing Tao walking and fighting had reopened a deep wound in both their hearts, and Yao also knew that this time, the wound would never begin to heal.

Before Arsian had left the day after the invasion was defeated, he warned Yao not to let these intense emotions get the better of him and make him rash, but that was easier said than done. In fact, Yao knew that he could not bear this too much longer; pretending that everything was all right, that Tao's soul would just come back of its own accord.

No. Seeing Nihilum take his body so easily had forced Yao's eyes open again, so to speak. It made him realize that unless Yao actively searched for his soul, Tao would be lost forever. As much as Yao wanted to stay here with his friends, he could not sit around idly while his younger brother was trapped in a coma.

Sooner or later, Yao would have to leave. And as soon as he had a plan, he would.

"Just hold on a little longer, Tao," he whispered, as his eyelids grew heavy. Just before he fell asleep, he murmured, "Your big brother's going to come for you. Just wait a little longer..."

* * *

******** End The Soul Deal Part 1********

**Preview- The Soul Deal Part 2: The Prince of Darkness**

* * *

A Little More than Seven Years Ago

In a region far north stood a poor village. Poverty plagued its streets, crime its partner, disease its best friend. Snow lined the roads and covered the roofs of houses, the cold only adding to the despair of the place, making it all the more difficult to survive during the harsh winters. The windows were boarded shut, at least when the inhabitants of the houses had any common sense.

Towards the outskirts of this village, there was a boys' home, a tall building in comparison to those around it, but it definitely wasn't large enough for the number of young boys who resided there. All the boys there were underprivileged, orphaned, and caked with dirt, but it came as no surprise. The overseer could hardly care about any of them, so long as he got paid for housing them. If a boy disappeared or died somehow, no matter, since there were many more, and space was needed anyway.

The place was musty and dilapidated, the air was always stale and rotten, the floors were often damp, and the bedrooms were beyond crowded. The sewage system wasn't even close to sufficient, and rats lived in the walls, feeding off any scraps that could be found. The floorboards creaked and moaned, as if any moment now the building could come crashing down on all of them, but then again, if it did, no one else in the village would care. The boys were there for a reason, were they not? They were unwanted. Nothing but extra mouths to feed in a village that was already starving.

Perhaps if Tino had lived anywhere else, he would have been more aware of the unsanitary conditions, or the callousness of most of the villagers, but Tino had been here since he could remember. Besides, he had more important things to worry about, such as getting enough to eat for himself, and the one friend he had at the home.

As quietly as he could manage, he slipped through the door and entered the building, taking careful steps so the boards wouldn't give him away. He kept his dirty hat on, trying to conceal his eyes, and hugged his own body tightly, pretending to shiver like he was freezing. He wasn't that cold, however. He was well used to the temperatures around here by now. No, he pretended to be uncomfortably hugging himself because he was hiding half a loaf of bread under his worn down jacket. There were a few boys lingering in the disgusting excuse for a lobby, but they didn't question his act.

So far so good. Tino continued into the hallway, heading towards the stairs. His room was on the second floor, but the closet was on the third floor. He couldn't risk taking out food in the crowded bedroom, or it would be taken from him in less than a second. Being only eight years old, he was a lot smaller than the other boys, and a lot weaker. So instead, he would usually sit by himself in the closet, and wait for his one friend. It was warmer in the closet anyway.

However, trouble showed itself in the hallway, just in front of the stairway. Four boys, all of them at least ten years old, stood in his way, glaring at him angrily. All of them were at least a head taller than him.

"Hey, whatcha got there, stupid?" one of them called.

"N-nothing," Tino shook his head, his shoulders quivering. He hugged his sides tighter.

"You're lying, you little bastard," another growled, taking a step toward him. Tino took two back.

"Yeah! I bet you've got bread again," the third accused crossly. "And you just don't wanna share!"

The first boy started towards him. Tino tried to turn and run, but he wasn't fast enough. The boy caught him by collar of his shirt and slammed his back against the wall roughly. The half eaten loaf fell to the ground at the boy's feet. "See? You are a no-good, dirty liar!"

"Where'd you steal this?" the second boy asked as he bent down to pick it up. The first boy still held Tino's collar menacingly.

"I-I didn't steal it! I swear. The bakery lady gave it to me," Tino explained, scared.

"That's what you always say," The fourth boy spat. "But that lady never gives any of us any bread. Why does she give it to you?"

"I-I don't know..." Tino stuttered, his eyes reflecting the naked fear he felt.

"Maybe it's 'cause he kisses her ass," the second boy snorted.

"Doesn't matter," the first boy sneered. "Now look here, stupid," he said threateningly to Tino, pushing him into the wall even harder, making Tino whimper involuntarily. "It isn't fair that you get bread and none of the rest of us do. Next time, you get bread for all of us, okay? Instead of sneaking upstairs to eat it by yourself."

"I wasn't going to eat-" Tino started, but the boy cut him off.

"Stop lying! Tomorrow, you get the lady to give you more bread, got it?"

"N-no, I can't!" Tino shook his head. And he really couldn't. The lady always gave Tino a loaf because she thought he was sweet, or at least that's what she said every time she gave it to him. But she could barely afford to spare that one loaf every few days. Even the bakers suffered from poverty. There was no way Tino could ask for even more.

"You stupid bastard," the third boy scowled, "You're so greedy, aren't you?! You won't give us bread, and you were going to eat the rest of this yourself!"

"No, that's not-"

But Tino never got the chance to finish. "We ought to teach you to be fair," the first boy spat.

"Yeah!" the second boy agreed, cracking his knuckles.

"We'll teach him," the fourth boy nodded, smirking.

The first boy grinned, then cocked his fist back. Here it comes, thought Tino, who looked away and braced himself.

"HEY!" a stern voice called from down the corridor. All four of the boys jumped, recognizing the voice.

"Shit, it's him!" the third boy squealed.

The second boy, the one clutching the bread, whimpered, "Let's get out of here!" He took off.

"You got lucky, this time, stupid," the first boy added before scrambling up the stairs with his buddies.

The owner of the voice was just three paces too slow. "You better run!" he called after them crossly. Then he sighed and turned to Tino, who, at the sight of him, began to cry.

"B-Berwald!" he wailed softly.

"Are you hurt?" Berwald asked with a frown, checking Tino for any injuries.

"N-no, it's not that...they took your bread!" Tino murmured, sniffling.

"What?"

"The bread...I was saving it for you, but they ran off with it," Tino said again, taking deep breaths.

"Tino...Don't get beaten up for my sake," Berwald said quietly. "This is the third time you've been ganged up on in the same month."

"I-I don't mean to," Tino hiccupped, as if he believed it was his fault, "I just..."

Berwald was silent for a moment, thinking seriously. "We need to get out of here," he muttered finally.

"Just the two of us, out there, alone? Where would we go?" Tino asked, the tears beginning to stop.

"Anywhere, anywhere but here. They don't treat us right here anyway. I'm almost thirteen, you know. And I'm tall enough to pass for fifteen. Other villages will hire fifteen year olds for work, I'm sure. We can live on our own," Berwald suggested, "All we need to do is steal a map from somewhere, then we can get out of this place."

"A-are you sure?"

"I don't want to stay here another minute," Berwald nodded. "We could make it out there. When spring comes around and it isn't so cold outside, you and I can run away. What do you think?"

The response was immediate. There was no thinking it over. "I'll follow you. Wherever you go."

And so the decision was made. Come spring, the two boys would leave the home for good, in search of a better life, one where they could maybe earn enough money to buy a small apartment and make their own living.

Little did they know that destiny had other plans in mind for them. And what they could not even imagine, fate was already setting things in motion many, many miles away.

They did not know that in another region of the continent, a little blonde boy was warning his red-eyed brother not to go inside the cave, unaware of the secret sealed within his own soul. And that the red-eyed boy was about to make a mistake that would drastically change his life.

They did not know that there was another strange child out there, one who was not even entirely human, also harboring a seal that concealed his true heritage, the only half-reaper boy in existence.

They did not know about the boy with green eyes and glowing hands, forced to leave his family thinking that he was dead.

They did not know about the pair of brothers who were doomed to come face to face with tragedy, in which the younger would be lost, and the older would be cursed in more ways than one, burdened by shame and guilt.

They did not know about the boy with the soul shell, who watched helplessly as his family was murdered before him.

And they did not know, for how could they, about a new kind of creature lurking in the shadows, listening to the wicked whispers in the night, "_The blood of the innocent shall be yours to drink. You will be able to control, no, command fear in the hearts of mortals! With you by my side, no one, demon or mortal, will dare stand against us, our supreme powers combined! All of their weaknesses will be yours to exploit. Just as I was destined to become king, you are destined for greatness, my son, the Prince of Darkness!_"

At the crossroads, all of their paths would meet. And for better or for worse, they would all have to suffer the consequences.

* * *

From the Author: First, I must apologize for my lack of response to feedback. I've been busy and I dedicated any spare time to whipping up this chapter.

Peter is Sealand, Michelle is Seychelles, Neeraja is India, Maria is Philippines, Carlos is Mexico, Laura is Monaco, Arsian is Mongolia, Tao is Hong Kong.

Wintercandyapple humbly presents the final chapter of The Soul Deal Part 1. I hope you have enjoyed the crazy ride with Gilbert thus far, and I cannot thank you enough for the support and the amazing feedback. You have all been a wonderful audience! It is indescribably incredible what a few words of encouragement can do to a writer's conviction~ A story is just a story unless the audience finds it in themselves to give it meaning and explore the words even further :)

That being said, I invite you all to join Gilbert and the rest of our hunters for another journey, one unlike the previous quests in Part 1. The preview installment at the end of this chapter was just a little taste of the new characters to come, and a small piece of the tales that will all fall together in time. Thank you again for your precious time, and the world of demon hunters awaits you all, until next chapter, The Soul Deal Part 2, The Prince of Darkness.


	30. Chapter 30: The Prince of Darkness

Disclaimer: Hetalia's characters belong to their respective owner! Which is not me!

* * *

PART 2: The Prince of Darkness (1)

Four Years Ago

"GET BACK HERE!" the butcher shouted at the top of his lungs as he chased the thirteen year old boy who clutched his prize, "STOP, THIEF!"

Like hell I will, Matthias thought, smirking. He knew he was fast enough to outrun this dumb man. Matthias was the fastest person he knew; thieves had to be fast, after all. Matthias had been stealing ever since he had run away from home, which was about two years ago. He couldn't stand his parents any longer, and when he finally snapped, he left, never looking back. And he didn't regret it for a minute, either. He was good at taking care of himself, actually, better than his parents were. He made a living for himself by stealing whatever he could get his hands on, and he never once got caught.

Perhaps that was his downfall. Since he always got away with it, he became cocky, and even a bit careless. He had had some close calls, but he only regarded them as even bigger victories. Today, however, he let his arrogance get the better of him. A breaded chicken, a whole package of it. Common sense should have told him not to do it, the risk was too great, but did he listen? Nope. He had the stupidity to grab the largest package, the package that the butcher was most eager to sell.

Matthias could feel the wind blow through his wild, somewhat spiky blonde hair as he dashed through the streets, weaving in and out of pedestrians, trying to make his route complicated and harder to follow. He kept his package tucked under his arm firmly, looking for any place he could duck into and lose his pursuer. People were startled as he pushed past them, but none of them understood that he was a thief until it was too late to grab him.

The butcher, however, proved to be persistent. Matthias had underestimated how fast he would be, but it was too late to stop now. He made a random turn onto another road, and found himself in the middle of the farmers market. Kiosks were lined on both sides, and people mingled around, moving from place to place. It wasn't as crowded as Matthias had hoped, though. In a crowd, he could easily slip away, and he had been counting on that. Still, he ran through the market, knowing that once you take the prize, you have to commit to it, or face punishment.

Matthias risked looking over his shoulder, and made his grave mistake. The butcher was still behind him, a good distance away, but then Matthias tripped over a box of apples lying in front of a kiosk. With a yelp, he crashed to the ground, tumbling head over heels down the middle of the market. There weren't many people around, but they only spared him a passing glance. As Matthias reoriented himself and sat up, he saw the package lying a few feet in front of him. He reached for it. Until the butcher's shadow loomed over him, and in his hand, a cimeter knife, one used for cutting dead meat, glistened in the sun.

"I've got you know, boy," the butcher growled, his face red from exertion and contorted with fury.

Matthias gulped.

"I bet the world wouldn't be too mad if I got rid of another unwanted thief," he continued angrily, his grip on his knife tightening. "It's not like anyone will miss you."

"Y-you wouldn't murder a kid," Matthias forced the words from his mouth, trying to talk his way out of this.

"No, starvation will do that for me," the butcher spat, "I'll just remove one of those legs of yours, so you can't steal from anyone ever again!"

The butcher raised his knife. Matthias mind went blank. This had never happened to him before. How?! How could he let himself get caught?! And this feeling, he had never felt it before. He was petrified. He couldn't even move to get out of the way; he just trembled on the ground. the knife's large blade he saw his own reflection, as if it was marking him as its next chunk of meat to be slaughtered.

The butcher's arm tensed, and the knife came down swiftly.

"_Wait!_"

Someone had come in between the blade and Matthias. The knife stopped in midair abruptly, inches before the young boy's face. The boy, who had just saved Matthias's leg, didn't move, staring at the butcher with a determined expression, unwavering.

"Tino!" Another young man called, running towards them. Two other boys followed him.

"What do you think you're doing, stupid boy?" the butcher shouted at the boy, Tino, "Get out of my way!"

"No," Tino shook his head. "Not if you're going to hurt him!"

"If you don't move, I swear I'll-" the butcher started, but now the young man interrupted.

"I won't let you lay a finger on Tino," he said, steely calm yet deadly serious at the same time. It was, Matthias had to admit, really intimidating. "Nobody hurts my brother and gets away with it."

"Well, he was the one who jumped in front of my knife, for this low-life scum," the butcher spat at Matthias. "And I'm going to give him justice!"

Matthias knew that he should have taken his opportunity and gotten the hell out of there, but for some reason, he stayed put, watching the argument, not sure how to feel about it.

"Chopping his leg off for a package of chicken is not justice," Tino replied evenly. "And I won't let you hurt him."

"What's it to ya?" the butcher scowled. "He's nothing but a thief! And if I don't give him justice, then he'll just steal again and again. You don't owe him anything, stupid boy, so just go run along with your brother."

But Tino didn't budge, only making the butcher even angrier. The older one sighed. He knew that Tino had gotten them involved, and now he would have to be the one to resolve it. "We can't just leave him," he said, voice still firm and a bit daunting. "He's our brother, too."

"What? No, he's not," the butcher said skeptically.

"But he is, isn't he, Tino?" the young man persisted. Tino nodded, smiling.

"Of course he is, Berwald!" Tino agreed merrily.

"He's part of our family," Berwald continued, gesturing to the two boys behind him as well, both of whom nodded. "I'll make sure he learns his lesson, and doesn't steal ever again. I'll even pay for the package he stole." With that, he pulled out several silver coins from his pocket, and placed them in the butcher's palm. The butcher glanced at Berwald cynically for a moment, then back at the coins. Finally, he pocketed the money and lowered his knife.

He glared at Matthias one last time. "You got lucky, thief! You better thank your brother here, for saving your sorry ass!" On that note, the butcher trudged away.

Tino picked up the package of chicken and handed it to Matthias, who still sat on the ground in disbelief. "You...you didn't have to do that for me, you know..." he mumbled, looking away from Tino's innocent, sincere eyes.

"If he didn't, you'd probably die of infection from a wound in your leg," one of the boys, with silver hair, rolled his eyes.

"I remember a time when I was always hungry," Tino said gently, "And I didn't want you to get hurt just trying to make it by. I'm Tino, by the way, and this is Berwald, Lukas, and Emil."

"So do you just live out on the streets? Where's your parents?" the one who had previously rolled his eyes, Emil, asked. He seemed to be the same age as Tino and Lukas, just about a year younger than Matthias.

"As far as I'm concerned, I don't have any parents," Matthias quipped.

Tino looked at Berwald, who shook his head slightly. Tino frowned and pulled Berwald and the other two boys away from Matthias for a second, obviously to have a private conversation. Matthias scratched his head, and looked down at the package Tino had placed on his lap. Why had that boy done that? He had jumped in front of a knife for a stranger! Was it just plain stupidity? No one had ever done anything like that for him before. He had always been regarded as useless trash. Such kindness...was it real? Did Tino actually care what would happen to him? Why would he? But then, he must have if he was willing to get cut like that...

"Oh, please, Berwald! Look at him, he has no one else!" Tino pleaded softly, but Matthias could still hear him. He had good ears, especially since he stole so often. Keen senses were required for that.

"But he's a thief, Tino," Berwald sighed, "It's enough that we saved him today."

"No, it's not! We could help him, and maybe he won't steal anymore! He's a good person, I just know it," Tino argued ardently. Why would Tino take his side so easily, Matthias wondered.

"He's not one of us," the boy with light blonde hair, Lukas, stated seriously, "He's not a hunter. His soul is mundane."

What was that supposed to mean? Matthias furrowed his brow in perplexity.

"That doesn't matter," Tino insisted. "A family...it's something everyone needs. None of us started with real families, right? But we can be each other's family. And he needs one, too."

"...Fine, only because I trust your skill," Berwald caved in. "But if he proves to be too much trouble, we're leaving him. He's already cost me two day's worth of money."

Tino smiled warmly, then returned to Matthias, and offered his hand. "We were all like you once, you know. None of us have parents anymore either. We found Lukas on the streets as well. If you come with us, we can support each other, and you won't have to steal anymore. We take care of each other and do our fair share of the work that needs to be done."

"Why...why are you being so nice to me? You don't even know me," Matthias blinked, regarding the boy in front of him tentatively. "All you know is that I'm a thief."

"On the outside, and to anyone else, you look like a thief," Tino chuckled, "But not to me. Let's just say I can see the goodness in people's souls. And I know you're a good person, deep down. So what do you say? Brothers?"

Matthias didn't know why he did it. Maybe this boy's stupidity was contagious. But something about these boys made Matthias feel...different. Was it hope? Maybe. Or maybe it was because with them, he wouldn't have to be so alone anymore. Whatever it was, it made Matthias grin back. He reached out and took Tino's hand. "Brothers."

* * *

Present

A week had passed since Gilbert had woken up in the infirmary. Things were finally beginning to settle down, Gilbert was finally warming up to the idea of Ludwig being not only a hunter, but one with the angels' gift, Francis was starting to tell Michelle some of his assignment stories, Antonio was happily back in Class A, Elizaveta was enjoying her new promoted status as well, and finally, Arthur had explained his story to Peter and the rest of Class A. Peter was taking it surprisingly well, actually. He was at first stunned to know the truth, that after all these years his older brother had been alive and well, excluding the one moment Arthur really wasn't alive, but Peter didn't need to know about that yet. From what the others said, it was a heart-trending scene of reunification with teary-eyed faces, but Gilbert hadn't returned from the memorial hilltop in time to see it.

The problem for Arthur after that had been deciding what to do with Peter now. Arthur had tried and tried to convince Peter to move in with their aunt and uncle, who resided in a city not too far away, but Peter refused. "I want to stay here with you guys!" he had insisted. He and Arthur argued for over an hour, literally, without a break until the headmaster intervened and told Peter he was welcome to stay at the Academy for now. For a while Arthur was grouchy about it, but he calmed down eventually. The questioned still remained where Peter would dorm, until Yao offered to let Alfred room with him so that Peter could move in with Arthur.

"Are you sure?" Arthur had asked uncertainly when Yao suggested it. He knew that the other bed in his room had been empty ever since Tao's soul disappeared, and had been left vacant in the hope that it would be found again.

Yao nodded, doing his best to look happy about it, "Having the room all to myself is getting lonely."

So Alfred had packed all his things and switched rooms while Arthur shared his dorm with Peter. Once in a while, Gilbert would pass through the hallway and here the two bickering inside, and couldn't help but grin knowingly. They were definitely brothers; they argued like brothers, but Gilbert knew how relieved Arthur was inside to know his little brother was safe and sound, even if the Brit didn't show it.

As for Gilbert, he was loving his new freedom. His first conscious week of being soul-deal free was more than awesome. It was indescribable, really. A burden had been lifted from his shoulders, and his heart didn't weigh heavily with betrayal anymore. Whenever Gilbert when to the lavatory, however, he would always take a good look at his back in the mirror. His pale skin was smooth like usual, but the remnant of a faded Ouroboros Mark still remained. It was still there, nevertheless, and Gilbert knew it would always be there, no matter how much time passed. A reminder. But Gilbert didn't hate it like he used to. There are some things that shouldn't be completely forgotten.

After Gilbert got back from his shower that night, he flopped down on his bed, resting his head on his arms, staring up at ceiling with a faint smile. It felt good to be alive. Ludwig sat on his own bed across the small room, finishing up some Class B reading intently. A moment later, Ludwig close the book in his lap and took off his glasses, placing them on the nightstand next to the photograph of the two brothers when they were little.

"You know, Luddy," Gilbert said casually, still looking at the ceiling, "Class B needs a new rep. You'd be good at that, don't you think? You're good at keeping track of details and being organized and delegating people. You should try it."

Ludwig looked at his older brother for a moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighed, "I would, but...I'm not staying in Class B anymore..."

"What?" Gilbert sat up, surprised, raising an eyebrow.

"Ja," Ludwig nodded calmly, "I'm testing into Class A in a few days."

"Already?!" Gilbert exclaimed, "You're not ready! You've only been a hunter here for a week!"

"Two weeks," Ludwig reminded him, since Gilbert had been out for one of those weeks, "And I'm ready. Mr. Vargas's been training me privately after classes. Besides, you made Class A on your first day here, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but I was training for seven years!" Gilbert huffed, "And my trainer was a demon herself. Class A assignments aren't a stroll in the park, Ludwig. People can get seriously hurt. Hunters have died facing major demons. Their souls eaten."

"I know, Gil, trust me," Ludwig reassured him confidently, "Don't forget that I was fighting on the night of the invasion, too. I know how dangerous it is, but I'm not going to waste the angels' gift. I need to get better, and I want to help you guys on your assignments, and that's why I'm going into Class A."

Gilbert still looked at him tentatively, but finally returned to lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. "You'll have to pass the test then, if you want to prove you're ready."

"I'll prove it to you," Ludwig gave a slight smile, "You're the only one who hasn't seen me in action."

Gilbert didn't answer, but he did wonder what he would have done if he hasn't passed out on the battlefield. He would have seen his brother's new power firsthand. It was hard to imagine, frankly. Ludwig taking major demons by himself? He had spent over seven years tediously taking extra care to ensure the blonde's safety, and now he was supposed to let him go face the demons who had almost cost Gilbert and his friends their lives on multiple occasions? Maybe Illedris was gone, but there were still legions of demons that would love a taste of Ludwig's delicious soul.

Gilbert shuddered and shook his head. Best not to think about it. He didn't feel like having a nightmare tonight.

* * *

Gilbert almost hoped that Ludwig was just being overly optimistic about his chances for getting into Class A, and that the teachers would see it that way and make him wait longer to test.

No such luck.

A few days later, just as Ludwig had said, Gilbert found himself sitting in the bleachers with the rest of the demon hunters in the Gym as soon as the sun began to rise. And, to Gilbert's slight annoyance, everyone was bustling with excitement, gushing about how they just knew that Ludwig was going to make Class A. Like it was his destiny or whatever the fuck.

Everyone but Gilbert at least. Didn't they understand that Ludwig simply just wasn't ready for the caliber of intensity and danger that Class A called for? Didn't they realize how dangerous it would be for his younger brother?! Didn't they care?!

His arms folded across his chest, Gilbert sat grouchily between Elizaveta and Antonio. Francis and Michelle were sitting in the row just in front of them. As soon as Francis had told Michelle about the test, she was up and ready to watch the show, just like everyone else. Lovino and Feliciano sat on the other side of Antonio, both twins fully recovered and in great condition thanks to Yao, who sat in the row behind them with Mei, Yong Soo, Kim, and Kiku. A few more seats over, Alfred and Arthur were seated with a marveling Peter, who was still wide-eyed at the fact that two hunters were about to duel. Every once in a while, Arthur would tell him to can it and sit still. Laura and Alice sat on the other side of Elizaveta, the cafe girl giggling happily as she predicted the outcome of the test. Her prediction was like everyone else's. Ludwig would make it, hands down.

Elizaveta could easily read the less-than-satisfied expression on the albino's face and giggled herself. "Oh, stop being such a downer already! You should be proud that your little brother's made it this far so fast!"

"How can I be proud?" Gilbert exasperated, "I'm too busy thinking that the years of being his freaking guardian or whatever were all a waste!"

"Please," Elizaveta rolled her eyes, then punched him in the arm playfully, "He's going to do just fine. You can't hold him back, you know. Nobody could hold me back, and I know that Ludwig feels the same way. And since you know you can't stop him, you might as well push him to be better than his best, because he's going to need to be a great demon hunter someday. The training you can give him might just save his life one day."

Gilbert sighed, then finally relaxed his shoulders. "Fine...I guess that makes sense. He's going to need my awesome support soon enough." Meanwhile, Ludwig stood at the bottom of the bleacher, expression steely and unreadable, next to Mr. Adnan, who was still looking over the crowd to see who would be the best opponent for the blonde. The headmaster and Mr. Karpusi sat in the front row, but didn't say anything to influence Mr. Adnan's choice. "You know, Lizzie, I bet he'll pick you to be his opponent."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you never tested into Class A," Gilbert explained with a knowing grin, "You were just awarded that promotion because you killed Illedris. But they won't let you escape the test that easily."

"I'm not too sure about that," Laura chimed in intelligently, "They would pick someone who's had experience in Class A. Long time experience, to test Ludwig's ability the most. Give him a hard opponent so they can evaluate his power."

"What, like Ivan?" Antonio pondered, tilting his head.

"No, that's too harsh," Francis shook his head. "I don't think even the Purifying Light can stop his soul skill."

"Does that mean I'm stronger than a Purifying Light hunter since it doesn't work on me?" Yong Soo smirked ridiculously.

"You wish," Lovino scoffed. "Try fighting my Nonno without breaking a bone."

"Well, I hope it's not me again," Kim said casually, "I don't want to test both Beilschmidt brothers."

"I think it'll be Kiku," Yao suggested, which was plausible.

"I don't want it to be me, either," Kiku frowned slightly, as if the thought of fighting one of his closest friends made him a bit uncomfortable.

"Alfred hasn't given a test in a long time," Mei pointed out, "That would be an interesting match-up. Angels' gift against half-reaper abilities."

"Now that," Gilbert grinned, "I would like to see!"

"All right, everybody!" Mr. Adnan called, "Quiet down so I can think properly!" With that, the room fell silent. But every single one of them was practically hanging off the edge of their seats in anticipation. A test with a hunter like Ludwig was rare, and none of them wanted to miss it for a second. Ludwig stood there, unfazed, calmly awaiting the announcement of his opponent. Their Turkish instructor's gaze slid over the faces on the bleachers intently, one hand on his chin inquisitively. "Hmm...Let's see here..." Then, as if a light bulb had lit up on top of his head, a broad, mischievous grin came over him. "Okay, Ludwig, today your opponent will be Gilbert."

Now that was enough to make Ludwig blink, astonished. Likewise, Gilbert's mouth fell open. He never would have guessed Mr. Adnan would make the two brothers face each other in a test so important. Apparently, the rest of the room was just as surprised, given by their faces. Gilbert would be testing his younger brother? Wasn't Mr. Adnan afraid there would be a bias?

Ah, but the Turkish man knew that there would be a bias. But he also knew that the bias would not be that Gilbert would go easy on Ludwig and hold back. He knew that Gilbert didn't want Ludwig in Class A just yet. Which is why this test would be all the more difficult for the blonde. His opponent had a motive, a real reason for pushing Ludwig harder than anyone else would. Not to mention how embarrassing it would be if Gilbert lost to his little brother.

"C'mon Gilbert," Mr. Adnan chuckled, "Don't be shy!" There was no choice in the matter. Gilbert stood up, his lips set in a thin line, and made his way down the bleachers.

"This just got ten times more interesting!" he heard Yong Soo exclaim excitedly behind him.

He also heard Antonio murmur, "Hey Francis...are we still going to place bets?"

"Don't even think about it this time," Kim interjected tersely.

Meanwhile, Gilbert and Ludwig made their way towards the center of the chalked circle drawn into the open space inside the Hunter's Gymnasium, while Mr. Adnan listed off the usual rules. "No killing, no maiming, but you may draw blood, so long as it's not a critical amount. I want a good, clean fight! You both are allowed to use your soul skill. Your objective is to defeat your opponent. You are considered defeated if both feet are outside the circle, or you can no longer stand. Got it?" When the two brothers nodded, he added with a chuckle, "And don't forget to have fun! Start on my whistle."

"Are you sure Gilbert is okay to fight?" Mr. Karpusi asked reluctantly as Mr. Adnan reached for the whistle at his neck. "His soul may not be fully recovered from the split..."

"It's been two weeks," Mr. Adnan waved off, "He's fine."

"Don't worry about me," Gilbert winked, "I can handle it!" He shifted into a fighting stance, briefly glanced up at Elizaveta, who was watching him with a small smile, and then settled his gaze on his brother, who was also positioned and ready to start, his whip already at hand.

The whistle blew, and Ludwig didn't waste a second. Immediately he was drawing his hand back and then snapping it forward, cracking the whip at the spot where Gilbert would have been if he had not had the sense to roll out of the way upon hearing the whistle. Having known his brother all this time, Gilbert could already begin to guess Ludwig's combat style, and he knew that Ludwig would be the first to strike decisively. Gilbert already knew that Ludwig would fight with crisp and perfected timing and form. That was one thing that was always clear about his brother; he wasn't as creative, as willing to take risks if it wasn't worth it, while Gilbert was more reckless, never afraid to try something new whenever it came to mind. Ludwig would have plan Bs, while for Gilbert it was all or nothing. It was hard to imagine that they were related sometimes.

By the time the whip had reached its targeted spot, Gilbert was already bouncing back to his feet, holding out his palm with an keyed-up grin. A long, wooden staff materialized in his grasp, a little taller than Gilbert's height. His choice was on the weaker side of his inventory, a blunt weapon, but there was no way Gilbert was going to inflict any kind of gash on his little brother, and besides, if he could win with such a simple weapon, it would only prove how awesome he was. He didn't need a sword to beat the younger. Although, Gilbert noted that Ludwig hadn't used his Light right away either. He better not be holding back, Gilbert thought to himself.

As Gilbert tried to move in closer, Ludwig used his whip to keep him at bay. Gilbert had yet to be struck, but now he was forced to keep moving, and jump back a couple of times. However, it was just as well, because now Gilbert began to understand Ludwig's strategy and find its flaws. With the whip being a distance-based weapon, the blonde ensured his own safety as long as he kept cracking his whip at his opponent. But, if his adversary were to break through and get close enough, the whip would be rendered obsolete, and Ludwig would be forced into hand-to-hand combat without a weapon, like an ordinary hunter. In which case, Gilbert would have the advantage with his staff.

Now that Gilbert had understood this, it was time to hone in. He had to run in unpredictable, random patterns at first, so that Ludwig could not anticipate his next move, and whenever Ludwig swung his arm too hard in one direction, Gilbert would take the opportunity of the over swing and draw closer. Gilbert had a couple of close calls, that he could not deny. Once, Ludwig had surprised him with his own quick reflexes, and almost caught Gilbert across the cheek with the leather whip, but Gilbert ducked just in time. And a few moments later, Ludwig disarmed his brother, using the whip to wrap around the staff and yank it from his grasp. The staff disintegrated into dust, but luckily for Gilbert it didn't take much effort to make another.

The only problem Gilbert was actually concerned about was the physical exertion this plan required. Of course, Gilbert was extremely fit, so for a good while he would be fine running around, but if he failed to break through Ludwig's guard for too long, he would eventually tire out and become sloppy. Ludwig was new to these kinds of matches, but Gilbert had to admit to himself that he was performing excellently so far, better than expected. A few minutes had already passed and Gilbert still hadn't landed a single blow. It was about time he changed that.

Finally, when Gilbert decided he was close enough, he took a risk. He ran directly towards his brother rather than running wide, and fortunately, he was able to evade the whip by a margin of a few inches, and then he was close enough to lunge with his staff. Ludwig recoiled instinctively, maintaining steady footing, but the whip could no longer be of help to him. Instead, the blonde countered with a solid punch. Already one step ahead of him, Gilbert sidestepped out of the way and landed a clean uppercut punch under Ludwig's jaw with his free hand, and then drove his palm into his sternum without losing momentum.

Ludwig wobbled back, but quickly recovered, and went on the offensive himself. He still clutched his whip, but used that hand as well to punch and jab. Gilbert avoided most of his attacks, but was caught by surprise when Ludwig swung at his head. Naturally, he ducked, but Ludwig saw that coming. Without hesitation, he drove his knee into his older brother's stomach. Gilbert did his best to absorb the blow, but he could tell there would be a bruise there tomorrow. Even still, he straightened up, and waited for Ludwig to make the mistake that was bound to happen. And it did. The younger threw another punch aimed for his jaw, but Gilbert smoothly parried with his own hand and then firmly grabbed his wrist. Then, he yanked his arm towards his own body, pulling Ludwig off balance temporarily. Just as quickly, Gilbert let go and grasped his staff with both hands. Swiftly and forcefully, he used the long shaft to sweep Ludwig's legs out from under him.

Realizing what was happening too late, Ludwig tripped and crashed into the ground beneath him. However, he sagely chose to ride his own momentum and tumble a little farther than he would have otherwise, and soon enough, Ludwig had rolled back to his feet, just the right distance away to use his weapon.

Uh oh. What had been Ludwig's mistake had turned into Gilbert's miscalculation as he turned around to face his younger brother, who was already in mid-swing. Gilbert simply wasn't fast enough to dodge this time; he had barely enough time to make sure his face wasn't hit, but the lash would sure strike his torso. He would just have to endure it and then move on.

That's what he thought before the entire whip ignited into a burst of white flames. Gilbert barely registered what was happening before the lash set him on fire.

Suddenly, a pulsation rippled through his body, followed by an acute, burning sensation. Gilbert shut his eyes tightly and bit his own lip to hold back a cry of pain as he fell down on one knee, one hand gripping his shirt over his heart, the other pressing against his forehead. His head began to throb as he grew dizzier and his breaths became shallow. Only when he opened his eyes for a moment, did he realize that his body was literally on fire.

His clothes were just fine, not even scorched, it seemed, but white flames blazed from every part of himself from head to toe. What the hell? What was happening? Apparently, everyone else was just as shocked, and people were rushing down the bleachers towards him.

Ludwig stood frozen where he stood, a look so overcome by horror and panic written clearly on his face. He had dropped his whip, which was no longer ablaze.

"Gilbert!" Mr. Karpusi exclaimed as he knelt in front of him, but didn't make any move to touch him. The headmaster stood behind him, and cursed softly.

"What's happening to him?" Kim demanded as she reached them, followed by Arthur, Alfred, Elizaveta, and Antonio. The others were just a few paces behind them.

Gilbert couldn't find it in him to speak. Instead, he began to tremble uncontrollably, and his vision became diplopic, so he focused on the ground rather than people's faces.

"His soul," Kiku explained worriedly as he came up to them, "It's reacting to the Purifying Light as well. It's beginning to burn."

"But I already removed the black impurity!" Alfred shook his head, "There's no reason it would..."

"You removed the main nexus of soul deal," Mr. Karpusi corrected, dismayed, "But it does not change the fact that his soul was touched by evil and corruption. Traces of it must still be lingering on his soul." Finally, Yao broke through the crowd, but as he reached out to touch Gilbert, Mr. Karpusi stopped him. "Wait, Yao! Don't touch him. He has the Light on him, and you might be in the same situation. Even though your curse is gone, the Light might burn through your soul as well."

"But how else am I supposed to heal him?" Yao frowned anxiously.

Gilbert could no longer focus on their conversation. Their words became meaningless garble, but he had heard enough. They couldn't help him, but Gilbert had no intention of giving up. He had survived that night in the clearing, through Illedris's torture from the Ouroboros Mark, damnit! Compared to that, this was just a little sting. There was no way he was going to waste Roderich's sacrifice and die like this, in the middle of the Gym. His only choice was to save himself.

He had to will the Light away, but how? It was burning him because his soul was "corrupted" or at least that's what Karpusi had said anyway. The Light was supposed to destroy demons or evil essences, not mortals and hunters. He was human, not demon. So Gilbert began to concentrate on everything that made him human. He thought of his little brother, how he had cared for him for so long. He thought of his friends, fighting side by side with them through thick and thin, never once hesitating to give them his trust in battle. He thought about Elizaveta, when they had visited Roderich's grave and made their promise together.

Suddenly, more emotions made their way to the surface. Humility, pride, love, sorrow, respect, hope, pity, shame, courage. Emotions that demons could never experience, ones that he cherished as human.

His hearing began to return to him. It was Kiku's voice he was able to make out first. "His soul...his energy levels are rising."

"He's doing it!" Yong Soo rooted. "I knew he could do it!"

Gilbert took deep, controlled breaths, letting the tension leave his shoulders. The throbbing faded gradually, and so did the fire. Finally, when he opened his eyes, his body had returned to normal, and he looked as if nothing had happened. When he grinned, the room erupted into cheers.

"He suppressed the Light, all by himself," Laura shook her head incredulously.

"That was the coolest thing I've ever seen!" Peter laughed, jumping up and down now that Gilbert had succeeded.

"How did you do that?" Francis asked, chuckling in relief. "That was amazing, Gil!"

"Do you need to ask?" Elizaveta giggled, kneeling down to wrap Gilbert in a bear hug. "You already know how he's going to answer."

"Because I'm just that awesome!" Gilbert laughed, saying it anyways.

"You never cease to surprise me," Mr. Vargas smiled. "I've never seen anyone do that before."

"So, should we continue the match?" Gilbert asked, standing up, his senses returning to their normal state.

"What? You still want to fight after all that? You were just on fire!" Arthur gaped. "Bloody hell, you're even more mental than I thought!"

"I feel just fine," Gilbert reassured confidently with a smirk. "And that only happened because we didn't know it would have that effect. If you guys want, we can change the rules for today. No soul skills for either of us to make it fair. How about it, Luddy?" That's when he realized his brother hadn't moved, or said anything for that matter. Ludwig just stood there, his eyes unreadable.

"No. The match is over," he murmured, looking away. Before anyone could say anything, Ludwig turned on his heels brusquely and walked out of the Gym, leaving everyone staring after him in silence.

"Oh boy," Gilbert sighed. "I'd better go after him." Without waiting for any reply from the others, Gilbert jogged after his little brother, who could walk surprisingly fast when he wanted to, and finally caught up with him along the cobblestone path leading towards the dorms.

"You should stay away from me," Ludwig said, his voice monotone. "You might get hurt if you touch me by accident."

"Stop worrying about it already," Gilbert told him, matter-of-factly, "We both know your Light is different from Mr. Vargas's. His might go off from physical contact, but yours needs an outlet, your whip, which you left in the Gym."

"How do you know that for sure?" Ludwig shook his head. "My Light might be like that someday. It could kill you just like that."

"You're blowing this out of proportion, Luddy," he insisted, "If your Light does turn out to be like the headmaster's, I don't think we'll have a problem. I can stop it from burning. You saw me. And don't you want your Light to be like that? To be that powerful on its own? I'm sure it could be, with training. You already proved that you can control it. I mean, I have to hand it to you, surprising me with the fire at the last second was a good trick."

"Trick...you've got it all wrong!" Ludwig's voice suddenly rose, and he clenched his fists angrily. "Mr. Vargas warned me that if I used the Light on you, something like that might happen! I didn't plan on using my soul skill at all in that match. Don't you see? I can't control it! I...I don't even know why the Light came out. It's like it ignited on its own."

"Well, that does sound like a setback," Gilbert nodded slowly, "But you're not going to let that stop you, are you? I know you're not that lame!" He grinned at his brother, and went on, chuckling, "I had a few minor setbacks myself. When I was ten, I couldn't summon the right weapon when I needed to! One time, I was so hungry during night training with Illedris, that I created a spoon instead of a sword. Oh man, you wouldn't believe push-ups she made me do after that."

Finally, Gilbert could see he had gotten through to him. "...A spoon?" Ludwig repeated, a flicker of amusement in his eyes, "That sounds like something you would do."

While the two talked, they had continued walking towards the dorms subconsciously. Before they knew it, they were entering their room as Gilbert finished telling him another story. "Six demon wolves! At once," Gilbert exasperated, "She expected me to do it with a knife. I probably would have won anyway, but she intervened before I could kill one." Gilbert enjoyed it actually, telling these things to Ludwig. He hadn't been able to say a word about his unusual training experiences with a demon, and it felt good to share it with someone.

"Right," Ludwig humored him, picturing a younger version of his brother, running through the woods with a knife, most likely screaming his head off, chased by six wolves.

"Hey...have you seen Gilbird?" Gilbert frowned, looking around for his bird, but he was nowhere to be found.

Then, right on cue, there was a tap on the window. The yellow chick sat on the window sill, holding a piece of paper rolled up and tied with a red string in his beak. Gilbert quickly opened the window, and Gilbird fluttered to land on Ludwig's bed, presenting the paper. Blinking in confusion and curiosity, Gilbert took the paper, untied the sting, and opened it. Ludwig read over his shoulder, furrowing his brow in even more confusion.

It was a letter, written in loopy cursive, but it was sloppy, as if it had been rushed. It read:

"_Meet me at the Laundromat. Need your help urgently. Bring no one but the healer._

_-V_"

* * *

From the Author: Remember the Laundromat? Guess who V is? Kudos to you if you get it right~

Matthias is Denmark, Berwald is Sweden, Tino is Finland, Emil is Iceland, Lukas is Norway, Michelle is Seychelles, Kim is Vietnam, Laura is Monaco, Alice is Belgium, Peter is Sealand.

Anyways, I am proud to present the first chapter of Part 2, The Prince of Darkness! Since this is a sequel-type thing, you had to have read Part 1 to understand everything, so I decided to continue the same fanfiction and just add on to the chapter numbers to minimze confusion. That said, I promise to introduce more background stories and a few new members to the cast! This chapter was introductory for the most part, but I hope you enjoyed the match at least :) Any feedback is appreciated and thanks again for reading! Until next chapter!


	31. Chapter 31

The Soul Deal Part 2: The Prince of Darkness (2)

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Hetalia!

* * *

"Look out!" Berwald shouted, tackling Tino out of the way. The two hit the ground hard on the dirt road as the monster's face crashed into the spot Tino had been standing in only seconds before.

"W-what is that thing?!" Tino stammered as Berwald quickly jumped to his feet and pulled him up, never taking his eyes off the beast. The two had been passing through the forest for some time now, making their way to the next village up ahead. It was the second day away from the boy's home, and so far, traveling had been smooth for the most part. They had packed enough food for three days, which they had been stocking up on for weeks, and had a small amount of saved money, but it was better than nothing. However, this was their first night passing through dark woods, and when the sun sank beneath the horizon, something preternatural attacked them out of nowhere.

The beast looked like a large dog, from what Berwald could see, like a hound the size of a school bus. Instead of fur, however, the monster was covered in reptilian skin, rough and leathery. The two tails on its rear were sharp like spikes, and its teeth were jagged, each the size of Berwald's face. Claws jutted out of its large paws, and its red eyes locked onto the two boys before it, ravenously.

Berwald didn't even have a weapon. Like Tino, he didn't even have a clue what was going on! Monsters were supposed to be the stuff of fairy tales, but this creature of the night was all too real. But it didn't matter right now why this was happening. "C'mon, Tino, we have to run!" Berwald told him, trying his best to remain calm and suppress any notion of panic for Tino's sake. He grabbed the younger's wrist and dashed down the dirt road. The beast howled and then went for the chase.

Immediately, Berwald knew they had no hope of outrunning it. The monster was too fast, and was gaining on them in a matter of seconds. And then, to Berwald's terror, Tino tripped, the sudden motion causing him to jerk his wrist out of Berwald's grasp as he fell with a yelp. Berwald skidded to a halt, and rushed to help Tino, but he already knew it was too late. So instead, he stood in front of Tino, facing the monster. The great dog leered at them, and Berwald could feel its hot breath on his cheeks. Saliva dripped from the corners of its mouth.

Then, just as the beast was about to duck its head down and sink its teeth into the flesh of its prey, its eyes bugged out in agony, and it let out a roar of pain before whirling around, its temper rising and its nostrils flaring. Berwald was stunned, thinking he had just been about to die, and searched the darkness for whatever it was that saved him. Then he saw two figures standing on the other side of the monster. One was much taller and much older, and held a long, silver sword in one hand that was dripping with black blood. Berwald also noticed that one of the tails of the beast had been severed right off, and was melting into dust on the side of the road.

The other figure was a small boy, no older than Tino, clutching in one hand a small knife, and in the other a stuffed animal. A puffin. His silvery hair winked in the moonlight that filtered through the woods.

"Emil, take Mr. Puffin and go help those two get to a safer spot," the man said to the boy. The younger, Emil, nodded, and while the man charged at the monster, he ran around the beast to Berwald and Tino.

"Are you all right?" he asked, while at the same time motioning for them to move behind a tree off to the side of the road.

"Yes, but is he going to be okay?" Tino quivered, as the man's sword clanged against the teeth of the reptilian dog.

"Of course," Emil nodded indifferently, "He's fought bigger demons than that." The three of them ducked behind the large tree trunk, but peeked their heads out to watch the man fight. The dog lunged its head, snapping its jaws, but the man easily rolled out of the way and then jumped to his feet to slash the demon across its face. The monster roared once more in pain, but shook its head and snarled.

"Bigger than that?" Tino echoed, astonished, "He doesn't even look scared!"

"What did you call that thing? A demon?" Berwald asked Emil. "Like...from the Underworld in the story books?"

"From the Underworld, yes," Emil nodded again, "Story books, hardly."

"Is that your father out there?" Tino inquired in awe, "Is he like a knight or something?"

"No, that's not my father," Emil shook his head. "He found me after my village was destroyed. He's a blacksmith, and I'm his apprentice."

"A blacksmith that fights demons?" Berwald mused, "That's incredible."

"Well, in that sense, he's a demon hunter," Emil corrected, "And I'm his apprentice in that, too."

The monster swiped its clawed paw at the man, who ducked. Again, the demon launched its head, teeth barred, but this time, with swift reflexes, the man rolled under the dog's chin, and came up quickly, thrusting his sword into the demon's underbelly. The dog howled and screeched, but began to melt until it was no more. Not even a trace was left.

"A demon hunter," Berwald repeated, amazed.

The man wiped his brow and lowered his blade. Emil stepped out from behind the tree, followed by Berwald and Tino. Smiling, the man clapped Emil on the back, "Did you see that? That's how it's done! Someday, when you're older you'll be able to do that, too!"

Emil looked down at his knife, then at the man's sword. With a knowing grin, the man followed his gaze and laughed, "You'll need to make your own blade." Then he turned to Berwald and Tino, and his smile faded, "What are you two boys doing out in the forest at night? Don't you know better? Where are your parents?"

"We...we don't have any parents," Tino said, looking down at the road.

"We didn't know that...things like that would be in the forest," Berwald added.

The man regarded them carefully for a long moment. "No parents, you say...So you've never seen a demon before?"

"No," Tino shook his head.

"I'm surprised. You two look to me like young demon hunters," the man tilted his head quizzically.

"Demon hunters? Us?" Tino blinked, taken aback.

"Yeah," the man nodded with a frown. There was another pause, as he tapped a finger to his chin in deep thought. Finally, he sighed as said, "Tell you what. Emil here is also learning how to be a hunter. I suppose...I suppose you two could use a place to stay. I'll strike you two a deal. If I let you stay with me and Emil, you can help me in the blacksmith business to compensate for your cost of living, and I'll teach you some things about demon hunting. What do you say?"

The two boys were beyond shocked. This was the last thing they had expected from a stranger. Not only had he saved their lives, but now he was willing to take them under his wing.

"I'd say we couldn't have been luckier," Tino smiled graciously. "Thank you, sir!"

* * *

Present

Kim sat on a bench outside of the library, studiously teaching herself mundane subjects. Even with concurrent enrollment in the Venator Academy's demon hunter program, she was still far ahead of most of the students here in regards to academic excellence. Though her book was about a mundane topic, humanities, she knew it was important to understand all the same. Tomorrow, if she had free time, she would learn another concept about Calculus from the textbook. Of course, the demon hunters here were still required to be know and pass mundane courses of study, and they had elective classes that delved into those subjects after training, but Kim was already advanced in every single one of them. Arthur was usually good about spending some extra time on advanced courses as well, and Laura's soul skill also enabled her to retain an incredible amount of information from her studies, but Kim was definitely the one who managed her education to its maximum.

Usually, she would study in the library or in her dorm, but today the weather was so nice, she decided to sit outside for a change. As she flipped through the pages, however, she became aware of footsteps coming her way. She tried to ignore it and focus, but when someone placed a flower next to her on the bench, she glanced up.

It was Yong Soo, beaming at her with pearly whites that seemed to flash in the sunlight. She looked down at the flower. It had six large petals, pink but rimmed with white. "What's this?" she asked, blinking.

"That's a stargazer lily," Yong Soo winked, "And now there are two beautiful things on that bench."

It was a cheesy line, but Yong Soo didn't miss a beat, and his grin only grew broader as he said it. But to his utter disappointment, Kim only sighed. "I wish you wouldn't do that."

"Do what?" he frowned.

"Flirt with me like that."

Now Yong Soo looked a little hurt, "I'm not flirting with you. Maybe I flirt with other girls for fun, but with you it's not flirting for fun. I'm trying to court you, or whatever it is they call it. It means more."

"Why?"

"Why am I courting you?" Yong Soo exclaimed, "Because I like you, da ze! And I know you like me, too!"

Her cheeks flushed and became slightly red, and she looked away quickly, "Don't make assumptions like that. I like you, but as a member of the Venator demon hunter family. Nothing more."

"It's not an assumption," Yong Soo grinned with a wink again, "It's a calculated guess."

"That doesn't even make sense. You...you shouldn't waste your time," Kim sighed, shoving the flower back into his hand. He only caught it after she let go to keep it from falling to the ground.

"Kim, trust me when I say I'm not wasting my time, not on you!" he went on, this time dropping the comical, happy-go-lucky demeanor. "Look, I'm sorry if you think I can't give you what you want, but I can prove myself to you, I just know it! If...if I'm making you feel rushed or pressured right now, I promise that's not my intention. It's just...after what happened in the village, the diversion...I was so scared in the plaza. Not scared of dying, but I got scared when I lost sight of you in that crowd of demons. I thought something bad might happen against so many opponents, and I wanted to go to you so bad, but when I looked at Peter's face and saw his fear, I knew you wouldn't want me to risk his life. But I didn't stop thinking about you one minute."

"Yong Soo..." Kim bit her lip and stood up uncomfortably.

"Just hear me out," he said, before continuing, "After that night, I realized how close to death we all are. Of course, every demon hunter here is amazing at what we do, but there's a reason most demon hunters live shorter lives than mundane mortals. It's harder to die, though, when you're living for someone."

"W-what are you saying?" Kim stuttered nervously, as Yong Soo held the stargazer lily out to her once more.

"I know waiting to say this to you would be a mistake. Because once it's too late, there's nothing but regret. You have to know this. I care about you, and I mean it! I know I don't act seriously enough, but this time I really am serious. And I know that one day, I can see myself falling in love with you, Kim."

Yong Soo still held out the flower as he talked, sincerity plain in his eyes and in his voice. When he was finished, however, Kim had yet to take it. There was a moment of stunned silence. Kim stared at him with an expression that clearly resulted from mixed feelings and shock.

Finally, she took a step back, and shook her head. "You don't know what you're saying. I'm sorry, but...I can't return those feelings to you." Before Yong Soo could say another word, she turned on her heels and dashed away, leaving Yong Soo alone by the bench, still holding the lily.

He stayed like that, motionless, even after she was long out of sight.

"Y-Yong Soo?"

He turned to see Elizaveta standing there awkwardly, frowning, her green eyes regarding him in concern.

"You saw what happened." It wasn't a question, but a hollow statement. His voice was soft, almost coarse, as if he were swallowing back his feelings, but failing to do so.

"I..." Elizaveta sighed, "I was hiding behind that tree over there because I thought it would be an adorable moment for you two, but..."

"But it didn't work out that way," he finished sadly. In his eyes, Elizaveta saw a broken spirit, one she hasn't seen in Yong Soo for a long time, and it made her worry.

"A-are you okay?" she asked tentatively. "I mean, I'm sure Kim was just nervous or something."

"No, she wasn't," he shook his head. The flower in his hand wilted a little more. "I guess I'm just not what she wants."

Elizaveta didn't even know what to say to cheer him up without sounding naive. Finally, she asked tenderly, "Did you mean that? That you could fall in love with her someday?"

There was a pause, before he whispered, "I already have. I just didn't want to say it and scare her away. But I guess it didn't matter in the end. She still ran away."

* * *

"So tell me, Gilbert, why are we in such a rush to leave campus, and why were we sneaking around everyone?"

Sighing, Gilbert leaned back on the less-than-comfy seat as the subway began to lurch forward, then began rolling smoothly. He handed Yao the letter that he had hid in his pocket, and waited for him to open it up. They were the only two people on the subway, much to Gilbert's relief, and no one had bothered to ask where they were going as they made their way to the station. Of course, Ludwig had wanted to accompany him, but Gilbert refused to let him come. And the blonde fired off question after question, such as "Who is this 'V' person?" and "Why are you meeting them in a Laundromat?!" But Gilbert just promised he would tell him as soon as he and Yao returned. With some final convincing, Ludwig grudgingly let them go.

It took a few moments after reading the letter the first time for Gilbert to decipher its true intention. The Laundromat was easy enough. Gilbert recalled how frustrated he was when he first wound up there looking for the information brokers, thinking it was all just some stupid joke, but then he realized things were never as they seem. And "V" must be Vendetta then, since she was the one who had first told him to find the information brokers.

"Laundromat?" Yao frowned, reading the letter over again. "Obviously, the healer is me. I'm guessing you told whoever this 'V' is what my soul skill is capable of?"

At this, Gilbert frowned slightly, "Well, actually, I never told Vendetta anything about you, or anything about the Academy hunters."

"Vendetta?" Yao tilted his head slightly in perplexity, "What kind of name is that? It doesn't sound...all that pleasant."

"It's a perfect name for a demon, then," Gilbert chuckled. "I met her at one of those supernatural night clubs, and she gave me the address to the Laundromat, where we can find the information brokers."

Yao blinked. "...What?"

"Random story, I know."

"So we're going to meet those three information brokers that came to assist us during the invasion?" Yao asked for clarification.

Nodding, Gilbert said, "That's probably how Vendetta knew that you're a healer. Though...I'm not sure why they need us. She said it was urgent, so something bad must have happened."

"A demon needing a hunter's help," Yao murmured, "How about that, aru."

"I guess we'll find out when we get there."

* * *

They found Vendetta already standing outside the Laundromat when they arrived. To no one's surprise, she looked exactly the same as she did when Gilbert first met her weeks ago. Same long, scarlet hair that cascaded past her shoulders in big, elegant curls. Same quirky, grayish-green eyes and flawless complexion. The only thing that changed was her skimpy outfit, and instead of a strapless red dress, she wore a low cut, red midriff that was even less concealing, and a black miniskirt over red high heels.

And, to which both Yao and Gilbert raised an eyebrow, she wasn't alone. She wasn't even looking their way. Instead, she was sucking face with another man, definitely older than thirty. Gilbert would have found it slightly disturbing, as Yao was at the moment, since Vendetta appeared to be around twenty-one, but Gilbert knew better by now. Firstly, Vendetta was not twenty-one anymore, and secondly, she was a demon, and that's all there was to it. After an awkward moment of waiting for the two to finish making out, Gilbert coughed lightly and cleared his throat. Vendetta finally pulled away from the man, but still stared into his eyes seductively.

"I gotta go, baby," she murmured softly, "But call me later tonight, okay? We can finished where we left off, I promise." That seemed to do the trick. The man was still dizzy from the deep kiss and probably already imagining the eventful night to come, one that did not include peaceful sleeping. He nodded and staggered off, not believing his luck, and Gilbert caught him licking his lips in anticipation. The albino grimaced as Vendetta turned to him. "Just catching a meal for tonight," she winked at him. "Glad you got my letter. Your chick is just so adorable."

"I wish you wouldn't flaunt your demon-ness around me," Gilbert sighed, "I am a hunter, you know. We're supposed to slay demons."

"But you won't slay me," Vendetta smirked knowingly, flashing her razor sharp canines just to mess with him further, "Because you owe me. I told you that you were setting yourself up for a hard fall, didn't I? You couldn't keep your secret forever. But I'll admit, I'm ecstatic to know that you killed your conniving bitch of a master. And you survived the soul deal. I knew I did the right thing by not eating your soul."

"Right..." Gilbert rolled his eyes, waiting for her to finish, while Yao just watched the conversation uneasily. _He's still uncomfortable about the fact we're talking to a demon_, Gilbert thought to himself, _I wonder if he has the urge to kill her_. For a second, Gilbert wondered if he should be worried, but then dismissed the thought. Yao could handle this professionally, probably more so than Gilbert actually.

"Now then," Vendetta said, and her expression changed noticeably from carefree, to discreetly serious, "All that aside, we have a situation here. They need your help, immediately." She gestured inside the Laundromat. "I take it this is the healer?"

Yao nodded. "What's wrong?"

"It'll be easier if I show you," she sighed, and led them into the building. The clerk that Gilbert had talked to last time was still there behind the desk, but this time appeared apprehensive. Vendetta walked straight to the third washer and opened it before slipping inside. Gilbert followed without question, but Yao was dubious at first. Finally, shaking his head, he too crawled inside, surprised to see it functioned like a tunnel.

Gilbert emerged after the she demon in the familiar, shady hallway on the other side, just like last time. The place was empty, although he couldn't begin to guess what was behind the other bolted doors down the corridor. When Yao stepped into the hallway, Vendetta was already heading towards the door to the information brokers' quarters. But she stopped just in front of it, and turned to face the two hunters. "You might be a bit more than surprised when you see what's happened. Try not to make too much noise or any sudden movements. It'll only make things worse."

"Worse?" Gilbert repeated with a frown, but she was already opening the door.

It was just about the last thing either of them expected. In the center of the room, where the sofa had been last time, there was a single metal chair with armrests, and it was occupied. Maria's wrists were belted to each armrest, and her ankles were tied to the front legs of the chair. Tears were streaking down her face, and her eyes seemed glazed over and unfocused as she trembled violently. Neeraja was standing next to her, watching intently with anxiety, biting his lip. Carlos stood before her, talking softly, never taking his steady gaze off her face. Maria let out a small whimper when Vendetta came in with the two Academy hunters.

"Oh, good, she looks better than she did when I left," Vendetta said, placing one hand on her hip, "But her soul's still...you know..."

"Maria?" Gilbert blinked, shocked, "What the hell? Why is she tied down like that?"

"Is she injured?" Yao asked, already reaching out to touch her forehead out of habit.

Suddenly, her whole demeanor changed in an instant. Maria's eyes widened wildly, her brown irises fading behind her enlarging black pupil, and her teeth grew long and jagged as she barred them against Yao, with a glare soaked in rage. Her wrists pulled against the restraints abruptly, as if she were trying to lash out, but she was stuck to the chair. The sudden movement was enough to startle Gilbert and Yao, both of whom flinched.

As Maria struggled against the bindings on her wrists, Carlos started talking a little louder, and faster too. "Maria, it's okay! It's Gilbert, remember? You wanted to help him the first time he came here looking for answers about the demon army, and then we went to his Academy to stop the invasion. He's here to try to help, and he brought someone who might make you better!" But Maria didn't even respond like she had heard a word he was saying. Her breaths became heavier, and her eyes seemed to dart around the room looking for a way out.

"What's wrong with her?" Gilbert asked, trying to shake off his initial eave of uneasiness. "One minute she was crying and the next she's ready to kill us."

"...You got that message from Arthur, right?" Neeraja finally replied after a moment of tense silence.

"Yeah."

"Well, Maria had found a new lead on the Garden of Lost Souls after we came back from the invasion. It was risky, but she wanted to take the chance," Neeraja explained quietly, "Another client of ours traded information saying that there was a new type of demon in the region. And apparently this demon had said something about the hidden Garden, so Maria thought she could track it down and trick information out of it, since she can disguise herself with her skill."

"We shouldn't have let her go alone," Carlos said under his breath, angry at himself, his fist clenched tightly.

"Something went wrong," Neeraja continued, "She escaped with her soul, but she was poisoned. When she came back yesterday, she was so tired she couldn't speak, and then after an hour she became like this. She doesn't answer to anything we say, and her mood changes drastically within seconds. We had to tie her down to keep her from going berserk with her skill."

"The poison works slowly," Vendetta added, "And after it penetrates the soul, the victim looses their mind and can no longer control their own actions. I've heard of this kind of things before, but I've never seen it until now. Usually, insanity demons reside up north from here."

"Insanity demons..." Yao repeated, trying to recall prior knowledge, "I've read about them before, but you're right, they don't stay in this region."

Maria banged her back against the chair roughly, trying her hardest to break free from the bindings, but to no avail. "Let me out of here!" she shouted furiously, a crazed expression coming over her.

"So can you heal her?" Carlos asked Yao desperately.

"Please, she's like family to us, and we can't bear to see her like this any longer," Neeraja pleaded.

"Of course, I'll do my best," Yao nodded, "But I'm going to need her to sit still." Neeraja nodded in response, and then he and Carlos each took one of Maria's shoulders and pinned her to the back of the chair.

"Just try to relax, Maria," Neeraja murmured, though he knew she could not comprehend his words. She struggled even harder when Yao reached out again, but this time, he placed one hand on her forehead and the other above her heart, before closing his eyes and summoning his soul energy.

Maria went still for a brief moment, and the room was filled with silence. Abruptly, her eyes dilated, and she let out a shrill scream that made Gilbert and the others jump and shudder. Yao's eyes flew open, and he pulled back sharply, distressed, wringing his wrists.

"What happened?" Gilbert asked, slightly jarred by her scream.

"Her soul, it's rejecting my healing energy," Yao shook his head. "If she doesn't accept it, I can't heal her."

Now there was another swift change of Maria's behavior. Throwing her head back, she began to laugh vociferously, a broken smile spreading from ear to ear. Her eyes were even more wild than before, and her body quivered with what seemed like hyper excitement. She just laughed and laughed crazily, until she was almost out of breath, then she exclaimed maniacally, "Dead! We're all dead from the start! We are only given life to have it ripped away from us in the end!"

"W-what is she talking about?" Gilbert stammered, disturbed at her assertion.

"Well, that's a pleasant idea, isn't it," Vendetta mutter sarcastically.

"It's getting worse," Neeraja griped, clenching his jaw in frustration, also disconcerted by her insane conduct. "Too much longer and we'll lose her for good."

"Death is the only thing you can ever count on. It will never fail you!" Maria acclaimed madly between her bursts of laughter.

Carlos couldn't take it anymore. He fell to his knees before Maria so he could meet her eyes as tears sprang into his. "Please, Maria! Come back to us! We still need you! I won't let you go out this way! After all you've been through with Neeraja and I, I know you're stronger than this!" Her laughter began to fade, and her wide eyes locked onto his. "The three of us, when we started this business together, we knew it would be dangerous, which is why we all promised we'd protect each other. I'm not going to lose another part of my family to a demon, so please, don't let that motherfucker beat you this way and _fight back!" _

Maria stared back, and Gilbert wasn't sure if she could hear Carlos at all, but Yao was already moving. Without hesitation, he touched on hand on her forehead once more and the other above her heart. His fingertips began to glow softly at first, but then it became brighter, as tears spilled down Maria's cheeks. Finally, the glow died down, and Yao stepped back, wiping a little sweat off his brow. The tension left her shoulders, and when Maria looked up again, she was smiling gently through watery eyes.

"Maria!" Carlos grinned in relief, already untying her wrists and ankles.

"I could finally hear you," she whispered, wiping her tears from her face as soon as her arm was free. "I felt like I was lost in a deep slumber, but I could hear you faintly, and I knew I had to wake up from my dream and come to you guys, but I didn't know how."

"You did it, Carlos," Neeraja patted him on the back, "You opened the window in her soul for Yao to get through."

"Thank goodness you're back," was all he could say, as he embraced her in a warm hug. Maria gestured for Neeraja to join them, and with a small smile, he wrapped his arms around the two of them.

When he glanced over at her, Gilbert could see Vendetta was watch the three brokers with a faint, nostalgic smile as well. "Do you remember what that feels like?" he asked her quietly.

"Friendship?" she raised an eyebrow at him, "Not really. Demons don't make friends. I'm just glad they're happy." With that, she looked Gilbert up and down once more with a sly smirk. "You know, I still wouldn't mind having a little fun with a hunter. You look just as fine as you did last time I saw you."

"Like I said back then, I don't screw around with demons, succubus," Gilbert replied with a halfsmile.

"I know that look," she answered lightheartedly, "You've got yourself a girl. All I have to say to you is make sure you treat her right." Before Gilbert could even say anything else, she turned to everyone else, "Well, now that my work here is done, I'll be heading out now. I've still got a meal to catch." Without waiting for the others' to reply, she left the room, running her hand through her curly hair as she did so.

"She's not so bad for a demon," Maria giggled, standing up and stretching her limbs. "Thanks, Yao, and Gilbert, for saving me."

"Well it's my fault you went for that lead, so it's the least I can do," Gilbert sighed.

"Speaking of which," Maria frowned, "...I got information from that demon before it attacked me. I think it could see through my disguise from the beginning, but pretended not to so I would let my guard down. That means the information might not be completely true, but...I don't think it was lying."

"So this demon knew about the Garden of Lost Souls?" Gilbert asked eagerly.

"Garden of Lost Souls..." Yao murmured. "Why...why were you looking for that, Gilbert?"

"So I could help you find Tao, of course!"

"I...I didn't realize you cared so much about..." Yao trailed off, stunned.

"Of course I care, since you need my awesome help!" Gilbert grinned at him, then turned back to Maria to hear what she had to say. Neeraja and Carlos also looked at her expectantly.

"The demon talked incoherently, so it was hard to piece together all the facts," she went on, "It mentioned something about a 'master' and that there were many demons that cultivated the Garden. I'm not too sure what that means. But apparently all the demons who work in the Garden serve this master figure, who's more powerful than all of them combine. And right before the demon attacked me, it said that the Garden constantly needs new souls to 'blossom' or something, and then...it said that it would be taking my soul as the next flower. That's when I realized it knew I was mortal, and I barely escaped with my life, but it was able to touch me before I got away, which is how it poisoned me."

"So the Garden's not just a myth then," Carlos said incredulously.

"Did the demon ever hint about its location?" Neeraja questioned curiously.

"Yes. As you know, insanity demons usually reside in the northern most regions. This demon said that it normally collects souls in those regions for the Garden, but recently, the demons that work for the master of the Garden have been driven southward to collect souls worthy of being in the Garden."

"Driven southward? Why? Have they already run out 'worthy' souls up there?" Carlos frowned, scratching his head.

Maria shook her head. "No. The demon mentioned something about a lost prince returning. I have no idea what that means. But apparently this prince was strong enough to drive these demons south. The demon angrily told me that the prince was beginning to encroach on his master's territory, so I think whoever this prince guy is, he's powerful."

"A prince? That's certainly interesting. The question is, what kind of prince?" Neeraja mused. "The demon never mentions if it's a mortal prince, a hunter prince, or a demon prince?"

"I don't know. But the demon didn't give a specific location for the Garden," Maria sighed. "If you want more information, you'd have to journey to the northernmost region."

"And...and you think there's a chance Tao's soul is in this Garden?" Yao inquired softly, his thoughts swimming in his head.

"I can't say for sure, but the demon said something about cultivating souls," Maria replied seriously, "I think that means these demons are stealing souls right out of mortal bodies and bringing them to the Garden to 'blossom' whatever that means. If somehow one of these demons wandered this far south while Tao was vulnerable, then it's very possible they've snatched his soul and brought it there."

"That would explain why his souls hasn't returned on its own," Neeraja added, "If the demons are keeping it from leaving the Garden."

"I wonder how many souls they already have in that Garden," Carlos pondered. "Or what happens to them."

Gilbert made a tight fist as determination surfaced to his gleaming red eyes, "Then it's settled! We're going up north to find this Garden place, trash it, kick the crap out of whoever this master is, and take Tao's soul home!"

"Be careful, okay?" Maria said earnestly, "The northern region is nothing like it is here. Demon attacks are much more frequent. And now with this new prince guy running around, you don't know if he's another enemy or not."

"We will," Gilbert gave her a confident grin, "And thanks for everything, you three. You sure you won't join the Academy? We could use hunters like you."

"Nah," Carlos winked back, "We got clients who are still counting on us. Besides, we're too used to this kind of life. The world of secrets is too enthralling to give up."

"You know, Gilbert," Neeraja said sincerely, "We're glad you found the answer to your soul deal. That just goes to show that although we may not have all the answers, they could still exist beyond our wildest imagination. That's why we're so fascinated by what we do."

"Yeah, it's always refreshing to learn about new phenomena," Maria agreed happily, "I hope you find that kid's soul. Be sure to tell us all about the Garden when you find it, so make sure you don't die." She winked. "The northern region is dangerous, but if anyone can make it, it's you. Good luck!"

* * *

"I can't thank you enough for helping me," Yao said quietly as they rode the subway back to the Academy. He had been lost in deep thought for most of the ride, and Gilbert knew he was still processing the new information. It meant there was a new hope for his little brother.

"You don't have to thank me," Gilbert beamed at him, "I already know how awesome I am. And I know all too well the fear of losing a little brother. I've never felt the pain of losing Ludwig, but I you shouldn't have to bear the burden of losing Tao. We're going to find him, no matter what."

"If there's even the smallest chance Tao's soul is in this Garden, then I have to go," Yao resolved, "But, they were right. The northern regions are chaotic and perilous. You don't have to come with me. You've already done enough, and I know you still have Ludwig to take care of."

"Are you kidding? I'm coming with you! If it's that dangerous, then all the more reason! Ludwig's a Purifying Light hunter now, so I don't have to be watching over him every day anymore. I can't let you journey there all by yourself. I promised Mei a long time ago that I would bring Tao back if I could, and I'm not going back on it."

Instead of answering, a slight smile passed over Yao's lips. "I wish Tao could have met you...I've decided that I can't wait any longer. I'm going to find him if it's the last thing I do."

"Great, then we can ask Mr. Karpusi for our own assignment to go up north first thing when we get back," Gilbert made a fist in the air. He could already feel the excitement of a new journey. Mei and Yao, and everyone else at the Academy had waited long enough for Tao's return. It was time he came home.

* * *

"I can't allow it. I'm sorry," Mr. Vargas said with a heavy tone as he stood and turned away from the two students. Gilbert and Yao had found Mr. Karpusi inside the headmaster's office along with Mr. Adnan and Mr. Vargas. It didn't take them long to relay what the information brokers had told them about the insanity demon and the Garden of Lost Souls, which was supposedly in the northern most region of the continent. However, as soon as the two made the request for their own assignment, all three of the elders' expressions darkened at once.

"What? Why not? We have a chance to save Tao," Gilbert demanded, astonished.

"You don't understand what you're asking," the headmaster shook his head firmly. "Demons run rampant in that region, unchecked and unopposed for the most part. There's no Academy up there for a reason. Students simply wouldn't make it under such conditions. Sending you two up there would be a suicide mission."

"With the insanity demons, this master they serve, and now this prince guy," Mr. Karpusi muttered, "There are too many foes at once up there."

"Well, apparently this prince guy was driving demons away, so maybe he's on the hunters' side," Gilbert suggested hopefully.

"No. I've heard of him," Mr. Adnan shook his head grimly. "When I was in the Academy to the east obtaining the memory wipe skill, I heard stories about this new figure. They call him the Prince of Darkness. Rumor has it he's bound to be the next demon king in the region. Whispers amongst both demons and hunters say he's a ruthless monster. He's only driving demons away to prove how powerful he is. The eastern Academy reported that...that he wiped out a whole team of eight demon hunters at once."

"Every demon hunter expedition sent there has been a complete and total failure," Mr. Vargas gritted his teeth. "You two are forbidden from traveling there yourselves. You would never survive the journey."

"But-" Gilbert started, but the headmaster cut him off tersely.

"That's my final word on this subject. Your request is denied."

His fists tightening, Gilbert tried to think of something else to say, anything, that would convince them to let them leave. But all three of them were so stern and austere regarding this topic. Even still, Gilbert wasn't about to give up so easily. "Yao and I are strong enough to do it! We can be stealthy when we need to and then get the job done! After everything we've been through-"

"_Enough!_" The headmaster's sharp tone made Gilbert recoil slightly in shock. Now Mr. Vargas turned to face him, his eyes reflecting mixed regret, anger, and sorrow at once. "You think you can make it out alive because you've fought your way through every tribulation so far. But you've never seen that region before. I have. It was my last assignment before I became headmaster. My comrades and I, we thought we could handle it, too. We went on a expedition under the delusion that we could change the way evil ruled up there. Ten of us make the journey there. I was the only one who came back."

Gilbert couldn't bring himself to speak. He could feel the sense of failure and angst in the headmaster's voice.

"I only survived because I had the Light. All of my companions, my friends, were murdered before me. I'll won't be responsible for such meaningless bloodshed again. I can't send you two to your deaths."

There was a long moment of silence, before Yao stood up from his seat, his own expression unreadable. "I'm sorry. But I have to do this," he said softly, yet unfaltering, "I can't abandon the hope that I can find my brother there. If you won't allow me to go, then I'm afraid I have no choice. I'm dropping out of the Academy."

* * *

From the Author: So I'm trying something different for Part 2. As you've probably noticed, there was another flashback in the beginning. I just want to let you guys know that the flashbacks might not have labeled years and will come out of order. It's like a puzzle. But later everything will fall into place and make sense, I promise!

Tao is Hong Kong, Berwald is Sweden, Tino is Finland, Emil is Iceland, Maria is Philippines, Carlos is Mexico, Neeraja is India.

This was more of a set-up informational chapter, but I need to build up suspense still. I promise things will pick up soon! Anyways, thanks so much for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! The things an audience can do to a writer's heart :) Thanks again, and until next chapter!


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